Batman Beyond: The Hunted
by RyokoMist
Summary: Innocents are being spliced, hunted and murdered:& Max is next on the list! With her new abilites she decides its time to help Terry other than from the sidelines. But first, can Terry save Max in time or will she wind up like the others: dead? Terry/Max
1. Chapter 1

_**Batman Beyond:**_

_**The Hunted**_

The darkness of the streets of Gotham is illuminated by the bright lights of the police vehicles. The officers and medical personnel stand in a shady alleyway, observing a body lying lifeless on the concrete; the once flowing pools of blood now dried. They whisper amongst one another, contemplating how they would break the news to the family…if the victim had a family. Commissioner Barbara Gordon sighs and waves her fingers in the air indicating for the body to loaded up and taken in for further analysis. She walks onto the street and takes a deep breath. She had seen a lot of things in her years as Batgirl and finally commissioner…but this one took the cake. The elderly woman shakes her head wearily. Where these sickos got their bright ideas from, she just couldn't figure out. Immediately her eyes become drawn to a black shadow flying across the sky and disappearing into the second floor window of the building next to the crime scene. Barbara shifts her gaze about, making sure no one else noticed and orders, "Alright boys and girls. Let's start packing it up. The sooner I get those DNA results, the better." She then turns to walk into the building.

"Commissioner, sir," an officer asks, "where are you going?"

The woman smiles as the other officers smirk. They had become accustomed to their boss vanishing into the darkness for further "business". They didn't ask; there was no use in doing so since she would only give a riddling answer. "I got a private call to make. Is that a problem for you, kid?"

"No sir!" The officer salutes and departs to help with the body, curious as to why his comrades laughed at him.

Barbara Gordon shakes her head and chuckles, entering the building and going up the stairs. Rookies. She turns into an open door and walks to the center of the room, the dark being pushed back by the light of the moon and a few specks of police light. With her hand in her pockets and her eyes closed she asks, "How you doing McGinnis?"

"Pretty good Barbara. How 'bout yourself?" A young muscular figure wearing an all black suit with a red insignia of a bat on its chest rises from the shadows as he disarms his cloaking device and stands on a desk.

"I've had better days," Barbara replies. "Bruce listening in?" She turns to face her part-time ally. The fact that Bruce had found new blood to wear the suit and carry on the vigilante legacy was still a task for her to accept. For one thing, she couldn't understand why he would pick someone so young and reckless: A KID! Surely he could've done better. Hell, Barbara was still shaken up that Bruce had even handed the job down in the first place! He was generally a stubborn old kook and full of pride. And the second thing was because of her job. She was Commissioner and was supposed to be extremely objective to vigilantism. It was funny: she had once been a vigilante, and now she had a problem with it! Gordon couldn't complain too much to the newfound assistance however. With Batman patrolling the streets crime was going down and dangerous villains were kept off of the street. But it seemed like where there was a Batman, there were complete wackos! The number may be small, but the damage they could inflict was enormous. It was a win-lose situation.

"Yep. He sends his greetings…so what you got for me?"

Barbara coughs in her hand. If she didn't think she would need his help, she wouldn't be telling him a damn thing! But this was serious, and something told her that this was one of those cases that she couldn't solve. And if the someone couldn't stop this, more people would get hurt…worse, dead. "Murder. And this one's a doozey. It's our tenth case this week, and it's only Wednesday. The victims we've uncovered so far have all apparently been spliced."

"Spliced?" Batman asks, raising his eyes in confusion.

"That's what I said."

"Any suspects?"

"If you mean in the sense of evidence and witnesses, no. But I do have my suspicions," Barbara states as she sits down in a raggedy looking wooden chair. It had better not break! "The disposal of the bodies is sloppy. Just tossed on the ground in the alley; they don't even have the sense to drop it in a dumpster or something. Not buried or attempted to be burned…just sloppy! The only guys I can think of to do something like this are -"

"—the Jokerz," Batman interrupts. It made perfect sense. The Jokerz were ruthless and crazy enough to do something completely obvious. They were the type of gang that _wanted_ everyone to know what they did. Completely attention starved idiots was a perfect description of the Jokerz.

Barbara nods her head and grows frustrated at the thought of the notorious gangs. They knew absolutely nothing of the real Joker. They'd shit their pants just at the sound of his maniacally insane laugh. She shutters. That was one sound she could never get out of her head. "Problem is," she continues, "the whole murder within itself makes no sense if you label the Jokerz as our guy. They aren't this crafty…at least not alone."

"So all the victims you've found so far: how'd they-?"

"Die?" Commissioner Gordon interprets. "All our victims died pretty much the same way: gun wounds. A majority of the cause of death was by a bullet to either one of two places." Barbara makes a gun sign with her fingers and places it to her chest: "The heart," she lifts it to her head, "or the head. Most of the kills are pretty clean, but others are a bit messier."

Batman raises his fingers to the side of his head and speaks into his comlink, "You getting all of this Wayne?"

A deep, elderly voice replies calmly, "Getting it. Ask about age Terry."

Batman looks at Barbara and asks, "Age."

Barbara looks appalled at first. Did he want to know how old she was? "Hmm?"

"Has there been a certain age group within the victims?" Batman elaborates, feeling entertained by her confusion.

"Nope. Our oldest victim was 57, and the youngest was 12." Batman leaps from the desk in complete awe. He can hear Bruce take a deep gasp. Barbara states, "Sick, I know. Apparently the kid was the child of a 34 year old woman. They were both found together and DNA, along with missing persons reports, matched. My guess is that when the mom got snatched, the kid was there and the murderer decided to do away with him as well. It's terrible, and it makes my job all the more difficult. I just don't understand why the victims are being spliced," Barbara ponders aloud.

"One last question: Do you have a charted area of where the bodies were found? I want to start looking around."

"Here," Barbara says, tossing a spherical object at him. "It's a map. The red dots are where we found the victims." Barbara then turns and walks to the door. "Good luck kid." She already knew he was gone…some things never changed. But she smiles. The kid was rusty. The whole point of vanishing was so that the person couldn't know when you disappeared. Maybe her expectations were a bit high or maybe she was so acute to the ways of batman, but of one thing she was sure: the kid still had a lot to learn.

Terry McGinnis, a now senior at Hamilton Hill High, walks down the hallway tired and frustrated. He hated the first week of a new school year with a passion. And the fact that he had been up until four in the morning looking for a lead on the murder case made him all the more cranky. The drawn expression on his face made the fellow kids aware that he was not in a good mood. Terry was severely sleep deprived. It took every bit of energy he had not to drop off right on the floor. He sighs out, rubbing his hand around his sore neck in exasperation and finally fanning himself. Of all the times to have a heat wave, why did it have to be now? Terry left his brown jacket back at his best friend's place and simply wore his obvious black short-sleeve shirt and grey pants. McGinnis leans against his locker, starting to worry about his test in a few hours. He never did summer reading but knew that he had to at least pull a "C" on the test. He couldn't afford a call to his already worrying mother. Call equaled grounded, and restrictions was the last thing the young Batman needed; especially with a spliced-crazy serial killer on the loose.

"Hey McGinnis!" a voice calls from down the hall. Terry rolls his eyes wearily and turns to find Chelsea, his girlfriend's best friend and one of his dearest friends walking towards him angrily. Her short blond hair was bouncing smoothly as she came before him, her blue crop top and short black skirt which clung tightly to her thighs accentuating her figure. She was hot he had to admit, and had a really sweet personality but she was also a bit overprotective when it came to her friends; and at this moment, Terry wasn't one of them. Chelsea folds her arms and glares at him. "Heard you blew off Dana again last night. You really pissed her off, you know that?"

Terry disputes defensively, "I didn't blow her off."

"Then what would you call it?" she asks moving her hands to her hips.

Terry pounds his hands into his pocket. Dana was the last thing he wanted to talk about. He states simply, "Mr. Wayne called for me…I had to go."

"Last I checked, McGinnis, Wayne wasn't your girlfriend."

"But he is like a father."

Chelsea lowers her eyes and balls up her fist. How could she be so stupid? She had forgotten how Bruce Wayne had practically taken Terry and his family in after his father was brutally murdered. It suddenly occurs to her that maybe Terry felt indebted to the old man for that…that maybe he was still hurting. "Look Ter, I'm - I didn't…" He places a reassuring hand on her arm and smiles. Terry then turns and walks off. Chelsea wipes a forming tear from her eyes and heads in the opposite direction. Terry sighs again. He didn't mean to blow off Dana but he was Batman…what could he do? Definitely not tell her who he was, she would flip, and he wasn't how sure she could handle it. That was one of things about their relationship that he had grown to hate. There were so many things that he wished he could tell her, but couldn't. And now it was getting to be because he didn't _want_ to. He was tired of how things were going between them: not seeing eye to eye on anything, constantly arguing. It was as if they weren't the same happy couple anymore; like they had fell out of love but were still together because they were use to it and for the convenience. Their relationship was like drinking flat soda…no fizzle. And fizzle is what makes the soda good. Then, Terry falls back into a wall as someone bumps him. Nelson Nash faces him carelessly. "Watch where you're going McGinnis!"

Terry snaps back, "Why don't you take your own advice Nash?''

Nelson slams Terry hard against the way and demands, "What you say freak?" Terry growls out and grits his teeth in a heated anger. He was not in the mood to deal with Nash's shit right now…then again, maybe if he got suspended he could get some rest. The prospect of getting some "time off" from school was all too tempting. Plus he could use a punching bag to relieve some stress and Nelson's face matched that description perfectly! He thinks, screw not trying to get in trouble. But just as he is preparing to make a swing for Nelson's jaw, a chocolate brown arm extends forth and a hand rests on each of the boys' chest. Terry's eyes open in disbelief as he gazes upon the figure of a beautiful African American girl with pink nape of the neck hair. The girl somehow manages to squeeze her way between them and was now pushing the boys apart. Her smooth voice says, "Chill boys. Nash, leave him alone." Her face is calm but her dark brown eyes are serious and intense.

Nelson backs off slightly and the girl turns to face him. She can sense Terry's frustration and she presses the back of her body against him, pinning him to the wall. A shiver runs down his spine at the feeling of her back and butt against him. Nash replies, "You're lucky your best friend is my ChemiBio tutor, McGinnis." The jock then turns his attention to the girl and presses his finger delicately under her chin and adds coolly, "And that's she's hot."

The girl grins softly as the team walks off. "Asshole," she mutters. She lifts her hands above her hand and stretches nonchalantly.

McGinnis runs his finger through his hair as she steps off of him and turns to face him, giving him a scolding expression. He could still feel the temperature of her body against him and could smell her fragrance: a kind of spicy sweet. "You didn't have to step in."

"You don't need to be fighting. It's the first week of school Terry! Aren't you at least worn out from last night?"

"I'm just saying – "

She places her fingers to his lips, cutting him off as she looks Terry in the eye and says with finality, "A simple, 'Thank you Max' is sufficient." She pauses and smiles deviously, "Besides, if you had some help out there, it wouldn't be kicking your ass so hard."

Terry grins in spite of himself. "Thank you Max. And we've already been through this." His best friend always had a knack for making sure she got credit where it was due. Plus, it didn't appall him anymore how she would toss in trying to help him out more in his line of work: as in being a little more involved. Terry had always refused, and this always caused an argument to break out between them. McGinnis thought she suggested it because she thought the idea of dressing up and fighting crime to be fun. But that wasn't the case: Max had her own dark secrets and pain that he knew nothing about. She wanted to be in the suit for the same reasons he did. But this time, her little hints don't cause a heated debate between. They begin to walk down the hall together and Terry notes the boys staring at her, practically drooling. It's then that he notices her new outfit. Max was wearing a short-sleeve burgundy "v" neck shirt. Because the "v" was so low, she had a red camisole under it. Max had on a tan pair of shorts with a lightning bolt insignia on the left side. Her gym shoes had a classic style to them: 21st century styled high top converses, burgundy and white in color. The new outfit was cute and sexy but in a complete tomboy way (which was just Max's style). No other girl would wear that apparel because it lacked current style and was so tomboyish. But on Maxine it looked perfect. "Nice," he compliments.

"Thanks, it was just so hot out. There's no way I could wear pants and all black." And then she feels a strange nervous sensation, like danger was lurking around the corner and they should leave immediately.

Terry examines her expression, recognizing that something was bothering his best friend. It was a miracle he could even depict her expression. Usually Max kept her emotions pretty locked up and secretive and there were times that he just couldn't figure out what was going on in her head. But there were other times that she let her guard down and it was obvious. Or maybe it was just because of his relationship and attachment and bond to her. As he looks at her he can't help but notice how beautiful she was; not just physically (though that wasn't easy to overlook) but her entire personality. She was so smart and nice, real, and protective. Terry loved how she was willing to endanger her own life to help someone else. And he felt real bad for putting so much on her already heavy shoulders: his homework, his cases, his family, Dana…if it weren't for Max, Terry had no idea how he could live his double life. He could remember how Spellbinder had made her addicted to the "VR", the alternate world that made her feel love that Max didn't know in the real world. The pain that was on her face made Terry's stomach lurch in agony. She thought that no one loved her so she did whatever it took to get back, even crossing against her own best friend. But even though she was completely released from Spellbinder's hold, sometimes Terry wondered if she really did feel as if anyone loved her. He relied on Max for everything! Even whenever he was hurt or injured from a battle, she was the first person he went to. In fact, he went to her first for anything. He felt so selfish. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I just…got this feeling like something bad's gonna happen." She shakes her head and wraps her arms around her body protectively.

Terry narrows his eyes in concern. Max was usually right about things like this, but he didn't want her to be worried. "You're like an animal," he laughs, "always sensing danger."

"I guess that explains why animals like me," she jokes, relieved at her best friend's attempt to calm her. This time, it worked. "Especially cats."

"Funny, you seem more like a dog person. Ace can't keep his paws off of you," Terry smiles, remembering how Ace, the black Great Dane, practically jumped on Max whenever she was around.

Max rolls her eyes playfully. "Shut the hell up Terry." She blows him a kiss, waves, and walks off for first period.

The school day seems to pass by rather quietly until sudden screams of terror and the thundering of gun fire fill the hallways. Max and Terry, who were in their Artistic Construction class look at one another in shock. What was going on out there? But once a wild, hysterical chorus of laughter resounds within the building they immediately realize what was happening. Terry leaps up from his desk and rushes to the door, hoping to either make it out in time to change or to bolt the lock, but the door bursts open and he crashes onto the ground. Damnit! He was too late. In steps a large buff teen with paint covered over his face…a Joker. "Knock, knock."

Max runs from her place and rushes to her best friend's side. She encompasses him within her protective and warm arms. "Terry! Are you okay?" The worry that she was feeling was hardly necessary, but at the same time she was instinctively compelled to do so.

"Peachy," Terry responds, slightly confused at the comfort he experienced in Max's warm arms. He rests his head against her soft chest momentarily before sitting up slowly and pulling Max into his own hold protectively and shifting his body weight slightly so as to be out of the way of the Jokerz as they remained on the floor.

The Joker states wickedly, "The name's Haha, and I'll be taking over the class for now kiddies."

Chelsea clings to Dana for dear life and asks fearfully, "What do you want?"

"Money. And lots of it. You see, when the cops find out we've got a school hostage with blocks of C4 spread out around the premises they'll be loading us up with dough by the tank."

Dana and Chelsea slide over to Terry and Max then, moving swiftly and cautiously as the Jokerz demanded all students to get away from the windows. Dana lays her head on Terry's chest, weeping quietly. Max slides out of Terry's grasp so he can comfort and offer her some kind of reassurance. She watches them and is surprised at the pain she can feel soaring through her chest. She knew that they were supposed to be friends but there was a part of her that wanted the relationship with Terry to be more. She sighs weakly at herself. How stupid could she be to hope for Terry to be with her? He didn't even completely trust her when it came to the Batman stuff; he was so overprotective that the boy couldn't see that Max could take care of her own self. She knew the relationship with Dana was on the rocks, and yet she did everything in her power to make sure the two stayed together. Most girls would try to pull sabotage but not Max. Why? She valued Dana as a friend but also: she wanted Terry to be with the person who he could be happy with. He and Dana had been an item for so long, and Dana was completely open with him. Max had a rough life, that much he knew. But he didn't know the complete details of her past; there were things she thought couldn't be told to anyone especially him. And at the same time she was afraid of what would happen if she and Terry…Max shakes her head, jolting her back to reality. There was no way Gibson could become that emotionally attached to _anyone_…ever. "Should we take 'em?" she whispers.

Terry stares at her in disbelief and shoots a dirty look. "Have you lost your mind? They have guns Max!"

"Yeah. But everybody knows Jokerz are all bark and no bite."

"You try to play hero and I'll make sure you don't ever think of something so stupid again," Terry threatens. What was wrong with her? He knew that Max loved a good brawl when the time came, but she couldn't be this crazy could she?

Max raises an eyebrow at his threat. There was an underlining meaning within his statement, and she wasn't so sure she liked what it was. Max fights back the urge to let her emotions be hurt and leans forward and starts, "Terry."

"C'mon Max! You don't actually think you stand a chance against those guys do you? Who do you think you are, Batman? Your life isn't that messed up that you've gotten completely suicidal! You're not strong and can't handle danger, so please give it a rest," Terry hisses. He turns to face Dana and Chelsea and is taken back at their expressions. Their eyes were frustrated at him, but they then shift to behind his figure and reveal compassion and worry. McGinnis looks back at Maxine and he is instantly washed over with a great sense of regret. Her eyes were up in completely sadness. It was obvious that she was shocked at his words and even more hurt by them. She bites her bottom lip and holds her head down so as to avert any contact with him. "Max," Terry begins, "I didn't mean-."

And then, Max turns her eyes upon McGinnis with such ferocity that Terry leans back in fear. Her eyebrows were arched down so low in her anger; Terry isn't sure who he is looking at right then, but it couldn't be his best friend! And if it was, he had never seen this side of her. That gaze was one of an enemy. Max clenches her fist against the floor, her nails scratching against the hard surface. How dare he say such a thing to her? Just who the hell did he think he was? She lied for him, nearly died for him! She risked everything for that selfish bastard and all he's ever done was yell at her and hesitate in telling anything to his "sidekick". What kind of relationship was that? He was using her! "Fuck you Terry!" Max whispers with hate. The others stare at her in absolute shock. She and Terry argued but they'd never heard Max direct that much anger at him. "You've no idea what I can and can't handle." She clutches at herself protectively. Her words come out a bit more softly, but still filled with frustration and sadness. "God, Terry…you make me wanna die! I'll never be good enough."

Terry reaches out for her and coaxes, "Please Max, don't say that. Now's not the time-"

Max smacks his hand away and slides her body away from her best friend and brings her knees up to her chest in the fetal position. Max's hands rise up to her knees and she presses her head on them. Her voice strains out weakly, "Every time I look into your eyes, you make me wanna die." Why was she having a mental breakdown now, of all times? His words had hit a sour note within her mind and Max was merely responding back to the memories that flooded her entire being. And although she did mean every word of what she had said to him that was not the intention to come out like that! From her position, Terry realizes that Max was battling something inside of her own body and that he was not allowed to not only speak to her, but to try to help battle her problems alongside his dearest friend.

The hour really does seem to pass excruciatingly slow after such a fight between the young Batman and his "Robin". Terry tries many times to speak to Max, but she always shut him down with her silence and pained expression. He couldn't find the words to say that would make things any better. "Hey Haha!" two Jokerz call as they drag the body of a wounded officer in the room, bloody and beaten. "Guess what we found in a game of hide and seek?" They cackle.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Haha sounds, kicking the officer in the gut with great force causing him to groan out in pain. Terry feels completely helpless in watching the act taking place. The ringleader Joker picks up a megaphone bullhorn and calls through an open window to the gathered crowd of bystanders and law enforcement below, "You made a big mistake Commish sending your cops up here. I don't think you understand how serious I am." He pauses, finally adding with a coy smile, "Well you're about to find out."

Commissioner Gordon can feel her heart accelerate in a sudden fear. It was obvious this guy wasn't like all the other Jokerz. He was more deceptive and dangerous, more brilliant (or maybe insane) in his planning. Haha wasn't anything compared to the real deal of the past, yet it was enough to surface a bad gut feeling in the retired female vigilante. She responds back on her own bullhorn and says desperately while trying to keep her voice level, "Now just hold one. Don't do anything stupid!"

"Not stupid, my dear Commissioner…funny." Haha faces the students in the classroom. He puts his hand to his chin and ponders aloud, a ruthless smirk wearing across his white paint encrusted face, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? The one who will take a fall?" Terry's body tenses; he couldn't be serious. Haha's eyes focus on Max and he points at her. "This one!" He grabs her by the arm and drags her to the window as Max struggles and screams. "Why so sad, beautiful? Let's see if we can put a smile on that face!"

Terry pushes his body off of the floor with excessive force as the screams of Chelsea and Dana and the other students resound frighteningly. "MAX!" But there was no way he could get to her easily. The other Jokerz jump in his way, defending Haha. Yet Terry isn't concerned about trying to hold back. His fist slams automatically into the jaw of an opponent, breaking it without hesitation. The clown falls to the ground cowering and flinching in pain. Angry, the others rush for Terry, their clubs and fist swinging heavy. McGinnis fights with such ferocity that the students wonder where he could have acquired such skill and strength. A metal crow bar pounds ruthlessly against the teen's back. "Hold him back boys!" Haha declares. "You should never interrupt a good joke." Nelson Nash and his jock friends raise up and begin to fight the Jokerz as well. Enough was enough! Nash helps Terry up and gives him a reassuring look. Their private disagreements didn't mean shit right now. Someone they cared about was in trouble, point blank. An immediate revolt lights up the room as desks and fists fly and clash together. Chelsea grabs a chair and slams it hard against a Jokerz back, making the boy fall down. His Joker girlfriend however, isn't so appreciative of the move, and leaps upon the blonde girl's back, pulling at her hair. Chelsea jumps backwards and crashes her back into the wall. As the Joker girl falls Chelsea turns and grabs a writing tablet and strikes her.

Haha sits Max's butt on the windowsill and attempts to slowly bend her over backwards out of the window in a torturous move. Max's hands clutch to his shirt and she kicks her leg out, striking the boy in the balls and punches him in the face. In one swift leap she gets off the sill and tries to run when Haha trips and falls on top of her. They wrestle about on the floor tossing and turning. Max struggles under his strength. Haha stands and Max, still lying on her back, kicks him in the gut. The Joker gives a laugh of surprise at her enthusiasm in trying to fight back. He reaches down and yanks the black beauty on her feet by her hair. His rough hand makes its way to Max's throat and clenches like a vice. "You're one tough cookie aren't you girl? An original Harley Quinn…or maybe a Poison Ivy…but you're slippery and so determined to have your way: maybe you're a Catwoman? Either way, I like your spunk. Killing you should be amusing." Haha then dangles Max by the throat out the window. Her nails dig deep into the flesh of his skin on the forearm, drawing blood in her fear.

The crowd beneath gasps in absolute terror. Terry notices Max hanging outside and burns with an instant anger. Every time it appeared that he'd get close enough to save her, some Joker would pop up. Commissioner Gordon demands for the Joker to let her back inside, to let Max go. Haha grins and releases his hold. A heart-splitting scream begins to emit from Max's lungs when Terry dangles over the side and catches his best friend, just barely in the nick of time. Max stares at him, a pleading look of fear and helplessness drowning her features. Terry can't tell if the look is because Max was so close to dying or because he saved her from dying. No, he thinks. There was no way Max could want to die…could it? He can hear the sounds of the police officers charging into the room and taking control over the situation. Terry makes a brief eye contact with Barbara Gordon down below. She knew Max and the relationship she had with him. McGinnis pulls Maxine up and back into the classroom. They collapse on the floor and Max buries her face into Terry's shirt, her hands clamped around his neck as he envelops his arms in a surrounding embrace around her. She does not cry, but her body's trembling; which concerns him. Max wasn't much of a whiner, but when something terrified her she wouldn't hesitate in letting her emotions be released. "Is she okay?" Dana asks, whimpering.

"I think she's in shock," Terry answers, trying to convince his self more than anyone else. He looks around at the students, many of them needing medical attention from the huge brawl with the Jokerz. If Batman were there, none of this would have happened. The ambulance crews make their way through the students as Terry notices something: Haha was missing.

The next few weeks come and go without a delay. The school was recovering from the incident quite well. It seemed that it brought them together closer; made them stronger as individuals and a corporate body. Batman had been out all night for hours trying to find Haha, but there was nothing. And the serial killer was still on the loose, more and more bodies showing up. Things were not looking up at all. And even more, Max had been pretty distant as well. She wouldn't respond to Terry's calls or let him visit. And when he saw her at school, it was like she was a ghost. Her friends said that she was probably traumatized and needed time but Terry felt it was something more. Max was a tough girl and got over things with an unusual speed. Since she became his "sidekick" the pink haired beauty had been exposed to all kinds of deadly situations. This wasn't the first time she had fallen from a building. Could it be possible that she was still hurt by what he had said? Max was the type of girl to hold a grudge when need be.

That evening, just a little bit before 11:30, Max becomes aware of a tapping sound coming from the living room of her home. She was just about to get undressed when the erratic noise began to sound. Max pokes her head around the corner slowly. Nothing but darkness. She treads silently on bare feet into her kitchen and draws a large butcher knife out of its case. She can see strange shadows dancing across her wall. "Damnit," she mutters to herself. Max presses her back against the corner wall. Her heart beats rapidly and she leaps out from behind the kitchen wall before the large, door length window. There was no one…but it was open. Max's eyes shift from one end of the room to the other. She straightens her posture and then turns and slings the knife at an unseen entity. "Shit MAX! It's ME!"

"Terry?" Max asks. She flips on the light switch and finds McGinnis pressed against the wall, the knife just inches from his face; planted deep within the plaster. "What the hell are you doing?" Her eyes then fall upon a sight of blood pouring out his side.

Terry, his batsuit halfway one explains, "Got into it with Ghoul and Woof." He winces and notices the room is spinning.

Max bites her bottom lip, unsure of what to do. She then sighs out after realizing that she couldn't simply let him bleed to death. How would she explain a dead Batman to her sister? She pauses at that thought. Her sister wasn't around enough to care. Max could be dead on the floor and nobody would notice. "Well, lie down on the couch and give me a second." Terry obliges her as she closes the windows and blinds and disappears into the bathroom. When she returns, she has a first aid kid and needle and thread handy. Max kneels beside him as he lies flat out on the sofa and starts her work, sterilizing the wound with Alcohol. "Looks like Woof got you good."

"Yeah. I probably deserved it," Terry laughs before wincing again at the sensation of a needle going through his skin. She could've numbed him up first with some ice! Was she that pissed?

"Probably," Max agrees. She had forgotten to numb him, but at the same time she really didn't care. She wanted him out her places as soon as possible. An awkward silence fills the room.

"Max?" Terry asks finally in a low voice with his eyes closed so as not to see her expression. "Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad," Max lies, her fingers tensing as she finishes up closing the wound. She was beyond mad; "pissed as hell" probably would've summed it up a little better.

"Right," McGinnis sasses. "You just hate me."

Max yells angrily as she slams the bandage on his skin, "Damnit Terry! Can you, for once, stop talking like you know something, 'cause you don't know shit about me!" She yanks him upward, ignoring his painful protest, and wraps the bandage around his stomach.

Here they go again. "But I do know you. I'm worried about your safety!" He tries to place his hand on her face as she continues to sit there on her knees in between his legs but she smacks it away. Now was not the time for him to try to get all cuddly with her. They generally had a pretty intimate friendship, always holding hands and hugging on one another in comforting embraces; but Max didn't want to be comforted right now. She wanted to be left alone and not have to worry about Terry and his "inconsistencies" when it came to really worrying about her. He was ridiculously overprotective and because of it he could really cruel and cold towards his best friend. And quite frankly, Max had had enough of it!

"Don't give me that! You don't understand anything. I'm tired of lying and being the weak link. I'm not the frail little girl everyone makes me out to be."

Terry shakes his head. "You're lucky Max! You haven't been through what I have. I know you think I'm a jerk but you have no clue the things I have on my chest right now."

"SHUT UP!" Max screams. "You're not the only crazy kid you know! You're the one who's lucky. You have the luxury of a family."

"What type of shit is that? So do you."

"Yeah," Max says sarcastically. "But they're never there. I don't know them and they don't know me. Do you know what my childhood was like? I was the child that they didn't want. My parents were happy with just my sister, but were pissed when they found out I was coming along. My sister was just so perfect, so wonderful! I was the fuck up." Max holds her head down and explains sadly, "My father used to beat me." Terry gasps. "He would get drunk and come home and just get to swinging. He never touched mom or sis…just always me. Mom would stop him 'cause she believed no kid should get abused, but I could tell she didn't really care. And when it came time for my parents' divorce, they argued about who would take me…both of them tried to place me on the other. But because I'm smart they think that I can become a big time doctor or something and make the bastards a bunch of money. Why would I give money to someone I don't ever see? My sister agreed to take me in, but she's always gone for weeks because of her job, so she doesn't even see me, which I'm sure she's happy about. Everything I ever did was to try to get their love. And when I told my dad that I wanted to work in law enforcement, he said the day I did that would be the day he would disown me as he always should…bastard." Max looks at Terry's compassionate and dumbfounded expression and her eyes start to water. "I've lived alone practically all of my life. I've had to fight all my life! You don't know the first thing about what hell I've been through, so don't you dare sit there and try to fucking preach to me about how tough things have been. I have always respected you when it comes to your suffering, why can't you do the same for me?" Max buries her face in her hands, too pissed to look him in the eye as she asks, "Why didn't you let me die?"

Terry grabs her shoulders and viciously shakes her. "Because you're my best friend…because I love you." He pauses at first, but then goes on with his confession. "I'm so stupid for never realizing the hurt I was causing you from: the things you've done for me, for Batman, and with…Dana. I have no idea why I'm still with her, even now. Maybe because I was too afraid to pursue my love for you. I wanted things to stay the way they've always been; I didn't want things to change and turn sour, but I'm ready to stop that! I need you more than just in friendship."

Max's heart speeds up. What was he saying? Where was all this coming from? All this time he cared about her so much as well and it made Max seem to be in a slight bout of disbelief. "Y-you don't mean that."

"Yes I do," Terry pleads. "You're always there. We connect on so many levels. I feel happy when I'm with you, like I'm not pretending to be somebody that I'm not. It feels real when we're together and that's what I need…you know I'm saying the truth." Terry pauses, a sudden urge rising within him. He stares at Max's lips temptingly, wanting to touch them with his own. He leans in forward, watching her face intently. "Max, I want you…I need you," his voice says smoothly. Max freezes as her body seems to melt at the sound of his voice and the fact that he was moving in so close. What was happening here? One minute she hated him, and the next she wanted him. She catches her breath and his lips touch hers softly. Max tries to pull her face away from his, but Terry grabs the back of her neck, forcing her soft lips to connect with his once again. And that had done it. The kiss now burned with passion as they realize that they cannot resist one another. Max throws her arms around Terry, her heart pounding like a drum and blood boiling over. Terry lifts Max up onto his lap and runs his hands up and down her back in an enticing hold. And all the while Max is screaming in her head to stop. Her mind was saying one thing, her heart another. They then roll over so that Terry plants his self atop of her soft body. The heat between them catches and begins to smolder. He ignores the pain shooting from the side of his body and kisses her neck, murmuring her name softly. Max gasps for air and he crushes his lips once more against hers.

And at that moment his phone rings. Terry gives a sigh of contempt but answers it in case it was important, however he does not lift his body off of his best friend's. "Hello?" There is a brief pause and he opens his eyes wide in shock. "Dana, hi." Max's heart drops. "I'm out working right now." Max scowls at him. "Okay…yeah…I love you too." WHAT? Terry gasps in surprise as he hangs up at what he had just said. It was out of habit! Max pushes Terry off of her and grabs her shoes. "Max—"

"Good to know I'm just work for you, Ter."

"I didn't -," he stops, not knowing how to explain it.

Max fixes her clothing and bangs her hand against her forehead. She was so close to doing something with her BEST FRIEND that she couldn't believe. "God, I'm such an idiot!"

Terry defends weakly, "She's my girlfriend." SHIT! Still the wrong thing to say.

"NO SHIT!" Max yells. She storms to the door. "I'm so tired of covering up for you. I'm so tired of wishing it was me!" She turns the doorknob, but Terry rushes to her side.

"But I love you Max! As more than a friend."

"But you don't love me enough to do anything about it…I'm sorry Ter," she says sadly. "But I don't think I can be with you anymore."

McGinnis grabs hold of Max's waist and falls to his knees. "No Please! Don't break up with me Max. Maybe our relationship isn't as crazy as it seems. I need you, love you too much to walk away…to let you walk away."

Max looks down at Terry's beseeching countenance and bites her bottom lip. Every time she looked into his eyes it really did made her want to die. "And maybe," she whispers, "that's the problem: you need me too much. I can't be the type of woman you need."

"I don't need a type of woman, I need YOU!"

"Lock up when you leave, ok? Goodbye McGinnis." Max gently pushes away from Terry and walks out the door, leaving him behind. As she walks down the street she wipes the tears from her eyes and holds herself tight. She didn't want to end her relationship with Terry, but they had gone too far. Not even she could have expected that. And perhaps what hurt and scared her the most was the fact that it wasn't just raging hormones, it felt right. Max feared being happy because in her mind it would only lead to a downfall and broken heart; there was no happiness for someone like her. But for Terry's love she had been willing to risk that; her sanity. And she hated that she took that kind of risk because now she was reaping the consequences. So much for taking caution.

"Well, well, well. Lookey here boys. It's my dear friend Harley." Max turn quickly to find herself surrounded by Jokerz; all being lead by Haha.

Max gulps and backs up against a light pole. "Back off," she threatens. Gibson suddenly resents leaving out so late at night all alone. She knew about there being a psycho serial killer on the loose and crazy mess like that but she didn't think it through. Her desire to get away from what she wanted the most and the thing that was causing her the most pain was about to get her in trouble.

"I don't think so. I got plans for you!" Max feels a sudden pinch in her arm. She sees that a Joker had injected her with some kind of serum. The street becomes blurry and fades in and out as Max falls limply to the warm concrete. Her body quivers as she gets a strange sensation burning through her. She looks at her hand and finds her nails growing out into distinct claws. Her voice lets out a low whine. She tries to regain her footing and stand, but is confronted by the enclosing Jokerz. Haha taunts, "Here kitty, kitty, kitty…"

Max lets out a short scream and finally her world grows black, the sound of maniacal cackling ringing in her ears.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_


	2. Chapter 2

_note from author: Hi everybody, sorry I took so long, but I had writer's block. I hope you all enjoy this sencond chapter and I will try not to be so long with the third chapter. This chapter might seem to jump around a bit, but I was getting anxious in getting to the good parts, sooooo...anyways, here's chapter 2 of Batman Beyon: The Hunted_

The next day Terry has to nearly drag himself to school. He was worn out emotionally, physically and mentally. All night he had been battling in his mind what had happened at Max's. Terry shakes his head, still not believing that he had almost made love to his own best friend…that's right. He didn't want to have sex with her; he wanted to make LOVE to her! The palm of his hand slaps his forehead. How could he do something like that? And to make matters worse: when he returned back to Wayne Manor the young Batman had regrettably told Bruce what had happened. Bruce had asked him, "You look roughed up. What happened?" He had noticed his apprentice's expression of pain and the bandage placed delicately around his side.

Terry had sighed and leaned against the computer. "I fucked up Bruce…big time."

Wayne narrows his eyes. "You saw the murderer and let him get away? McGinnis-"

"I almost slept with Max." Terry squeezes his eyes shut and grits his teeth. The silence that immediately filled the Bat Cave was stifling. A hand suddenly grabs his shoulder and turns the boy around, slamming his back against the keyboard of the computer. Terry gives a gasp and hiss of the pain that shot and burned through his wound. Bruce eyes McGinnis with such ferocity that Terry isn't sure what was directly happening. It then clicks in his head as the old man continues to look at him angrily. Even though Bruce never said anything directly, Max was like a daughter he never had (Terry was like a son to him as well). Despite the fact that they couldn't stand each other when they first met, the two had developed a strong bond, a deep respect for one another as people. The old man later realized how happy he was to have Max join them in their vigilantism. And just like Terry, he was overprotective of her and refused to allow Max to think about wearing the suit. It was a strange thing the connection he shared with the two teens. To the people of Gotham, Bruce Wayne had become an old and cruel and expressionless man; the complete opposite of what he had been younger. But to Max and Terry he was human, a person who had a crevice of compassion for those who needed help; he was like father. And to put it simply, Bruce didn't appreciate the moves Terry had put on his "daughter". The thought of them doing something like that pissed the old man off! He knew the heartache that women felt when dealing with the men who wore the suit…he didn't want to see Max in that kind of pain. Yet the fact that he had attacked Terry showed that Bruce could sense that she already was hurting. Terry hurt Max; Wayne didn't like it.

"How dare you," Bruce says angrily, the strength in his old fingers returning as he clutches into Terry's skin.

"Bruce," Terry explains, "I'm sorry. But I love her. I need to be with her. Since when is that wrong?"

"It's wrong when you hurt your best friend." Bruce releases his hold and steps off the young teen. He could tell that Terry wasn't lying about being in love with Max, but it didn't make things any better. He could picture Max in a dark corner in her room crying her little eyes out.

Terry straightens his posture and places a hand on his wounded side; not because it hurt, although the pain was killing him, but because that's where Max had touched him. He could still feel the warmth of her body against his. Terry lowers his eyes as he continues, "I hurt her bad Bruce. Dana called and…" he doesn't continue. Bruce sighs out, already knowing what had happened. Terry spent the rest of the time telling Bruce about Max's past and beating his self up for being so stupid. Max had needed him more than ever but he wound up betraying and breaking her heart. For Max to even release that much emotion towards anyone is what killed Terry the most. She had let herself become open with him (even if it was slightly) and he crushed her. "Bruce," Terry says, sitting on the table and holding his head down in shame, "I love Max. I guess I always did, but I really messed things up. She says she doesn't want to be with me anymore and I'm not sure I can make it without her."

Bruce narrows his eyes and turns towards the steps leading to the mansion. "Liar." Terry lifts his head up rapidly in shock. "You're so selfish McGinnis. If you ask me, I applaud her for wanting to leave you. You're using her for your own desires."

"That's not true!" Terry disputes angrily, leaping from the table and balling his fists.

"Oh really?" Bruce asks. He turns his body slightly so he can see Terry. "If you really loved her, then why are you here right now? If you really loved Max so much, you wouldn't have let her walk away from you. You'd be on your hands and knees begging for her to forgive and take you back. If you _really_ loved Max, then you wouldn't have been able to hurt her and watch her cry and leave, and then try to come here and get pity from me…you don't love Max. Because if you did, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You would've held on to her and made her realize what she means to you. You would be making passionate love to her right now in the bed, on the couch, wherever. And if she wouldn't let you do that, then she'd be in your arms, in a fiery embrace of passion. You'd be by her side right now kissing her forehead and apologizing for being late in telling the truth…" Bruce sighs as he stops briefly and heads up the stairs. He had been talking to Terry partially, but the words that he expressed were the inner turmoil's that he regretted concerning his past. "You don't love Max."

Terry pauses for a moment. Bruce was right, but he didn't want to accept that. "I DO LOVE HER!" he yells as he pounds his hand against his chest.

Bruce stands in the door way at the top of the steps and says, believing that Terry was telling the truth, "Then you should be doing something about it." Without another word, Bruce had disappeared, leaving his apprentice alone.

Terry huffs out in frustration as he approaches the school building. Everything Wayne had said to him that night did nothing but make him feel worse for what had happened. "Hey McGinnis!" a voice calls. Nelson jogs next to Terry and they slap hands. Ever since the school had been held hostage the two had become pretty good friends. Nelson asks, "Have you seen Max?"

"She's not here?" Terry asks quizzically. She was never late.

"No one's seen her. I wanted to say thanks for the help. I pulled a 'B' on my ChemiBio test. Looks like I'm still on the team for the semester. If you see her, can you tell her that?"

Terry frowns at the remembrance of last night: Max's figure leaving out the door, fighting tears as she said goodbye. "I don't think so. We got in a huge fight yesterday. She doesn't want…to talk to me." He couldn't bring himself to explain that she didn't want to be friends anymore.

Nelson places a reassuring hand on Terry's shoulder. "Sounds rough dude. Sorry." The bell rings and Nash runs for the steps. "Don't sweat it. It's gonna be okay," he yells. Easier said than done.

As the school day progresses however there is still no sign of Max. It doesn't seem to bother Terry too much. He simply figured that she was so pissed and hurt that she didn't want to come to school; which pained McGinnis even more considering that he was the reason for her anguish. But when the senior girl doesn't show up the next day the young Batman knows something is wrong. It wasn't like Max to shirk her studies, no matter how pissed off she was. All day he's on edge, trying to put together what was going on. By the last class of the day McGinnis is so tense he puts his head down and completely ignores everything; the memories of that night burning at his brain. He tried to convince himself that he was just over-reacting. But when Commissioner Gordon appears in the doorway, all his worry seems to reach its climax. The teacher acknowledges politely, "Good afternoon Commissioner." Many of the students become immediately attentive and alert, slipping things into their book bags and jackets. Barbara closes her eyes and shakes her head wearily. Why did they have to be so obvious? She couldn't really complain much; it just made the job easier for her and her men. But Barbara gathers her thoughts. She wasn't here for that. Her eyes become aware of Terry standing up in the corner.

Barbara states, "Yep. You're just the kid I need to see McGinnis. Follow me to the Principals Office." She turns and begins to walk down the hall, not at all shocked that Terry races in stride with her.

"What's wrong Commish?" Terry asks nervously, ignoring the students in the hall staring at them.

"We'll talk about it when we meet up with Bruce."

"Bruce's here?" Terry wonders curiously. "What's up?" But Gordon remains silent and McGinnis tries to keep himself calm for the moment. Patience wasn't his forte'. They round the hall and come to the main office. The secretary says, "They're waiting for you Commissioner Gordon."

"Thank you." The secretary gives Terry a sorrowful look before returning to her own paperwork. The two walk into the Principal's Office and close the door behind him. Terry examines the faces before him: The Principal and Vice Principal, two cops and Bruce and Barbara.

"Terry," Bruce says in sober restraint, "why don't you have a seat?"

McGinnis shakes his head. His hands begin to visibly tremble in fear. "I'll pass. What's happened?" He was growing tired of the delays; he wanted to get to the point as quickly as possible in hopes to stop the worry he was feeling.

The Vice Principal begins, "Mr. Wayne suggested we tell you this first. He said that it would be best if you found out this way before we make the announcement."

"Find out what?" No one answers and Terry slams his fist against the wall. "Slaggit! Find out what?"

Gordon clears her throat. "It's about your best friend Max." McGinnis's heart drops and he stares at her with a confused worry on his expression. "She's missing."

"What?" Terry shakes his head in disbelief. That – wasn't possible.

"An eye-witness came forward this morning," an officer continues. "Two nights ago around midnight, Maxine Gibson was walking down the street when she was surrounded and harassed by a group of Jokerz. The eye witness, who is an elderly man, went to call the police when he heard a scream, apparently from the victim -,"

"She's not a victim!" Terry yells angrily. He couldn't stand that word – it made it sound like Max was lying dead in a tunnel somewhere.

The officer continues, "—and laughter. By the time the old man got back to the window there was no one in sight. When the vict—" he pauses as the teen boy shoots him a dirty look, "—Gibson never returned back home, the man decided to call us."

The principal looks carefully at Terry and says, "We wanted to let you know first before announcing it to the school." Terry says nothing. His mind is reeling, his thoughts darting all over the place. Max. Taken by Jokerz? Two nights ago at midnight – that was exactly after their fight. His legs begin to grow weak and McGinnis falls into a nearby chair and buries his head into the palm of his hands. How stupid of him! Why didn't he stop her? Terry hits his head. If he loved her so much why didn't he fight? Why didn't he wrestle her from the door? The idea of Max being with a ruthless gang made Terry so sick to the stomach he wanted to vomit. There was no telling what they had done to her – what they _were_ doing to her. He had heard about victims being molested and raped by the teen gangs and just left for dead. Terry clenches his fist together in hatred. If Max was less than perfectly whole in mind, body and spirit, he would kill them all. Fuck the whole, "Preserve the life of Gotham" shit that Batman was suppose to follow. He was vengeance, the Dark Knight, and he would destroy anything and anyone for Max's safety.

Commissioner Gordon puts a comforting hand on the secret vigilante's shoulder. "Don't worry kid. My men aren't going to stop until we find her."

Terry lets out a breath of frustration. "Neither am I." A few minutes later as McGinnis exits out the office the Principal's voice resounds over the intercom, demanding immediate attention. Carefully, he tells the students and faculty what Terry had been informed (though in a slightly edited version). But the young Batman doesn't really hear any of it. He's barely even aware of the cries coming from the classrooms. The dismissal bell rings and Terry leaves the school building in a hurry. "Terry!" Dana calls rushing down the steps to him as he mounts a motorcycle that Bruce Wayne had given him. "I heard about Max. I'm so worried…can you come by my place later? I'm just, freaked out." She rubs at her eyes.

"No. I'm gonna go look for Max."

"Ter," Dana pleads, "let the police handle it. I don't feel comfortable with you out there alone."

Terry frowns. "I don't feel comfortable with Max out there alone!"

Dana folds her arms and scowls. "Look! I'm worried too, okay? But I won't go out there by myself."

Terry glares at Dana angrily. "Then you don't love Max like I do."

Dana is completely taken back. She feels a shockwave soaring through her chest and wraps her arms around her body. "You know what Terry, I'm not going to listen to you talk to me like that. I'm sick of this."

Terry reaches back and grabs his helmet. "Good. So am I."

"Why are you even with me Terry?" Dana demands hotly. "You avoid me all the time. Why do we even bother making up?"

Terry shrugs. "I don't know. All I know is that I need to go find Max, and if you're willing to let me go then please do it. My head needs to be clear."

Dana then smiles, much to the surprise of Terry. She runs her fingers through her long black hair and gives an exasperated laugh. "Oh my God. You're in love with Max." It wasn't a question. When Terry nods his head weakly Dana nearly falls over in laughter. Surprisingly she wasn't even upset anymore. Part of her always thought that it was a possible that her boyfriend cared more about Max than as a friend. And it didn't really disturb her too much since she could noticeably distinguish that their relationship was falling apart. Knowing that Max was the one who could please Terry and set Dana free from all confusion and hurt from trying to stay with him made all the difference. The Asian beauty begins to turn away from him when she states, "You go and find Max."

"Dana, I –"

She holds up her hand to stop him from continuing on. "It's okay Terry. We both deserve to be happy. I'm just sorry it took so long for us to realize that our season of being together was over. You look for our girl and treat her right. Oh and Terry: don't make her cry and wait like you did me. Max deserves better than that." She blows him a kiss and jogs off to meet Chelsea, wiping the tears from her eyes quickly. They weren't tears of sadness but of joy. She was sure that it was probably wrong to be so happy about breaking up with Terry after having been together for so long, but not even she could prevent true love. Breaking up with him - to her - was simply a sign that something better for her was coming. Terry revs his engine and peels out the school parking lot heading for Wayne Manor. He would need Ace.

Her eyes open slowly, a strange pain dancing through her head. She pauses slightly after squeezing her lids down tightly and then regains the task of opening her eyes once the pain dwindles away. She was laying on her side on something cold. Metal? Her body was trembling and she naturally pulled her arms closer around her frame. Max sits up slowly and looks around. It was dark, the area dimly lit in the confined area in which she found herself. The metal bars of a cage become distinct then as the girl tries to remember what had happened. She is about to call out for help when something brushes against her leg. Gibson turns and sees a dingy black talk flicking itself near the girl's…leg? It was also a dingy black and covered in a skin short layer of fur. What the hell was going on? Max looks at her hands and gasps in absolute terror. She panics, her breath becoming loud and rapid as she places her hands over her grayish-black, naked furry body. "No…"her voice whispers. She spies a giant mirror outside her cage and scrambles to the metal bars. "No!" she screams.

Maxine Gibson had been spliced. Her entire body was covered in gray-black fur, claws protruding from her fingertips, ears pointed in an elfish manner, her eyes glowing a bright distinctive yellow and her pupils in black slits. Max places her trembling hands over her body delicately. What did they do to her? The girl was basically a humanoid cat. She had heard about there being a villain back in the day called Cheetah, whom the Justice League had many run ins with…well, she looked exactly like that, only all black. She couldn't believe that this had occurred to her. Sure, she had been in some pretty messed up situations but this was beyond crazy. It is at that moment that the sounds of all the other "people'' are noticeable to the teenager. Even better: she must have been caught by the wacko serial killer! Max crouches and draws her body in together as she silently weeps. If only this was a bad dream.

"And here," a familiar voice directs, "we have our latest item: the Black Panther. And believe me gentlemen, she's a beauty!" Haha stands outside of the cage talking to a group of men in business suits. Max raises her eyes in complete awe. HE DID THIS TO HER! THAT BASTARD! She lets out a shrill cry and lunges forward, her arm sliding in between the bars and dagger like claws just missing the Joker by an inch as he leaps back. "Ah, well you're awake!" he exclaims with a sinister grin as his newest captive paces the cage back and forth on all fours; a low intimidating growl of frustration sounding from her throat.

"She's a bit fierce to be new," a skinny, nerd-looking man inquires softly.

"Yes," Haha explains, "we've had a couple of run ins recently. She hates me," he adds cheerfully.

Another man, this one more burly looking and rubbing the scruff of his beard inquires, "She is a magnificent creature. The shape of her body is very sensual and sleek: a trim waist line but wide hips…the shape of the calves, the bounty of her chest…it'd be a shame to kill her. Can I buy her alive?"

"If she survives the first hunt, you can bid on her. Our investors have been wanting a Black panther for a while so she must participate…unless you're willing to pay everyone's hunting fee, plus your own and the price to get another panther?" Haha asks hopefully.

"I'll wait."

Max stops pacing the cage at the realization of everything. It was the Jokerz who were doing the killing! They were running some kind of safari. People with big bucks came to hunt or bid on the game while innocents became the prey. And when the prey would get taken down the Jokerz dumped the bodies. What a fine mess to get herself in! "Let me go!" she demands hotly.

Haha declares with a laugh, "No can do sweetie. There's no getting out."

The humanoid feline once again lunges for the Joker growling and hissing ferociously. She couldn't stand this! The group of men laugh at her enthusiasm, claiming that she would be a good hunt; a worthy prize at the end of the day. They then walk off to examine the rest of the animals that would be eventually shot down and killed for sport. Max backs away from the cage and thinks angrily about why she was here in the first place. If Terry hadn't fucked things up she would be home right now complaining over her history assignment or something like that. It seemed that ever since becoming friends with McGinnis, Max experienced nothing but more hurt and anguish than she normally did. But most of the pain was self inflicted. "I do nothing but hurt myself," Max murmurs quietly, her eyes beginning to burn. How weak she had become. Max never cried this much ever! In fact the girl hardly cried at all. "Bear it and live" was her life motto…until Batman. Ugh! Max holds out her arms and looks at her claws. She didn't want to live like this. Heartbroken and about to be murdered: Max would rather take the easy way out. She lifts her opposite hand and holds it over her wrist where her vein should be.

"What a coward I've become," she murmurs softly as a tear slides down her furry cheek. Slowly, she lowers her claw to her wrist. Gibson wasn't one for cheating life: she was a fighter to the death; but this was one battle that she felt just couldn't be won. And then, just a few millimeters from her pulsing vein, Max's nail flinches at the sound of something in the corner of her cage. Her eyes turn quickly to a small figure leaning against the bars weakly. It was a child. She had been so upset about everything she barely even noticed she wasn't alone. Like her, the child was also spliced but with what appeared to be Lion DNA. He was probably only five or six years old.

He looks at her cautiously and fearfully. Max sighs out wearily. She was about to kill herself in front of a little kid…how screwed up in the head was she? "It's alright," her voice coaxes gently. "I won't hurt you. What's your name?"

The young boy crawls out of the shadows and sniffs. Max had frightened him with her ferocity but he was now feeling safe and comfortable around her. "My-my name is Lionel." How quaint: Lionel the lion. "I-they killed my mama…I'm all alone." He begins to cry once more at the remembrance of his mother's brutal murder.

Max bites her bottom lip. How cruel were these guys to kill a kid's mother and try to hunt and kill the little guy. Damn, he was just a baby! "It's okay Lionel," Max tries to persuade him, leaving from her corner to his. She holds out her arms to the little boy and smiles softly. "My name's Max…and I won't let them hurt you. I'll take care of you."

Lionel wipes his eyes and falls into the girls arms. Something about her reminded him of his mother. If she said she would try to help he believed it.

Hours pass before there is a loud wailing sound that fills the holding area. Max looks up quickly as a group of Jokerz appears outside of the cell with fire extinguishers. Using the extinguishers, the Jokerz flush Max and Lionel out of their cage as a door opens behind them. Once outside, Max looks around cautiously, her ears picking up the slightest sound. They appeared to be in some kind of jungle. The vegetation grew tall and freely, completely engulfing the area. This was where the hunts took place: Max could smell blood and bullets in the air. Lionel clutches at her leg fearfully. Max gazes down at him and pats his head reassuringly. "Stay close to me cub," she commands. They get down on all fours and walk quietly and cautiously through the man made jungle. The two arrive to a large tree and Max examines it. She rises up and places her nails into the bark and begins to climb when she hears Lionel whimper below her.

"Please don't leave me," he whispers. "I can't climb good." Max smiles softly and leaps down and lands on her hands and knees. In the time they spent with one another in the cage, Max had formed some strange connection with the young boy. She felt a strange desire to protect him and this not only pleased, but, confused her. Max rubs the side of her face against his as he closes his eyes and responds back to her affectionate gesture. She then reaches her head back behind his neck and grabs hold of the flap of skin there with her teeth. Smoothly, she scales the tree with Lionel in her capable jaws. Once they reach a strong and sturdy branch Max releases him from her hold and then gets a firsthand look at where she was. A giant cemented wall surrounded the entire perimeter and perched on the wall were Jokerz. She could see a large gate to the west (probably the main way of entrance for the hunter and the prey). Trying to get there and out would be near impossible. A crack of gunfire sounds somewhere below and it is followed by the sound of something screaming in pain. Lionel cowers close to her and hides his self behind her front arm.

This was not good at all. Not only was her life in danger but she couldn't allow a child to be killed by a group of idiotic, blood-thirsty, and money hungry clowns! Max looks out into the distance and thinks. There had to be something she could do to contact the authorities…no, better: Batman. If she could find a phone or a computer maybe she could hack into a secure line and get in contact with Bruce without being detected quickly. There had to be some kind of outpost out here right? Max remains still and low within the branches with the cub, listening carefully. Being spliced did have its advantages. She sees the lousy smirk that Haha given her in her head; the image and thought of him makes her claws extend out further and her tail to flick about with agitation. The desire to rip his face off made Max lick her lips with expectation. What she wouldn't give to have his blood oozing from her claws.

Lionel's head whips around quickly as a breeze blows past them. Max smells it as well and hears the sound of a gun cock. "LOOK OUT!" Max grabs Lionel within her arms and leaps from the branch just as a bullet hits it and blows the wood into smithereens. The feline female lands gracefully on the ground and growls. She faces the two hunters angrily and tells Lionel to hide in the bushes. Lionel does so and peeks through the bushes as the slight battle ensues. The men shoot at her again and again and Max leaps back into the tree. Max turns and stalks down the bark headfirst baring her fangs with a gut wrenching hiss. Every move she made was clearly instinct. Max leaps from the tree trunk and lands on one hunter. Her fangs dig deep within his throat as she drags him out of sight from his companion. His fellow gamesman fires his rifle into the vegetation screaming the name of his friend fruitlessly. When he stops shooting he stands still and listens to the silence. And then the Black Panther bounds out of the growth and knocks the man down. The man throws down his weapon and runs off through the leaves and ferns. But Maxine was faster and much more agile. She chases him down, her body flying with unimaginable speed. The hunter trips and falls down unto the hard soil as she steps through the jungle and circles him. "Stay back!" he yells. "I'll kill you."

Max smirks darkly. Sure he would. She crouches and prepares to finish him off when her body is shot straight into the air by a strong force behind her. Maxine twists her body in mid-air, completes a slight summersault, and lands smoothly on the branch of a nearby tree. Another spliced teen looks up at her. Max hisses in recognition of Ramrod; his bull-like head and buff body immediately jolting back a memory. Terry had stopped and cured him before…apparently the bull had gotten resupplied since their last encounter and was now working for the Jokerz. He shakes his horns angrily and snorts, "Sorry kitty. But we can't have you killing anymore customers."

"I'll kill anyone that stands in my way!" Max drops to the ground and kicks the bull square in the jaw. He swings his fist at her, striking down a tree when the panther dodges. Ramrod charges Max, but she grabs a hold of him by the horns and slips over his head. With a twist of her body she gives him a deep scratch on his back. Yet by the time he turns around to face her, Max is gone. She runs through the jungle and finds Lionel in a bush. "Max!" he declares joyfully. The young cub rubs his head against Max's face lovingly. They both purr happily at the short reunion and Max takes the cub back in her mouth and runs through the jungle, passing the vegetation quickly and swiftly. The power she felt within her body was exhilarating. For once in her life she didn't need to be protected or rescued by some Dark Knight. She actually felt safe and confident in the ability to not only preserve her life, but that of another human being's. All she had to do was survive, get Batman to come help, and sink her fangs into Haha. Max purrs in sheer delight.

Terry regrettably gives up for the night. He raided every Jokerz joint he knew but none of them knew about Max. The sense of helplessness that flowed through him made Batman all the more frustrated. Ace whines next to him within the Bat mobile. Even the dog could sense the tension. Terry pets Ace's head and mutters, "I know boy. I'm scared too." He pauses as he looks at the time. "Let's go home." It was still pretty early but his mother Mary was sick with some type of virus and she needed him. Bruce stands up as the car pulls in and turns off. He watches Terry carefully, examining his sad and worn expression. It pained the boy that Max was in this predicament, and it pained Wayne to see him like that. Both those kids were like children to him and the situation was heartbreaking. Bruce's deep voice states, "Why don't you take Ace home with you? You both could use some compassion. You need him more than I do. And give your mother my best…we'll find her Terry. Get some rest." Without another word he disappears up the steps and Terry sighs out following after him. He was too tired to even try to argue.

By the time they get home Terry isn't sure what to do. He wanted to still be out in the streets looking for Max but his mother was sick. There was no way he could abandon her like she was. He opens the door and calls, "I'm home." Ace trots in the house and sits in front of the living room chair. "Mom?"

"Hi honey. Welcome home," Mary answers while rubbing Ace's head.

"You should be in bed," Terry scolds, tossing his coat on the couch and looking over his mother's shoulder.

"I'll go in a minute." Terry then notices that she had two pictures in her hand. One was a photo of the family with his father Warren. Mary caresses Warren's face with her pinky finger. Her eyes then shift to the other photo of Terry and Max. They had taken that picture a couple of months ago at a carnival that Wayne Powers Corp. was sponsoring. The McGinnis' had insisted that Max tag along since she had nothing better to do. McGinnis smiles at how happy his best friend was. She had laughed so much that night and Terry couldn't keep himself from staring at her beautiful smile. If only she could have been that happy all the time. But she was still hurting from a dark past that he had known nothing about. They had got on every ride together. When this picture had been taken Terry had just Max a stuffed Black Panther plushy toy and the two decided to get on the Ferris Wheel. They had been laughing and talking when the fireworks started lighting up the night sky behind them. The colors illuminating Max's peaceful had really captured McGinnis' attention. It was like she was somewhere far away in her mind. Like she was in a place full of happy and cherishable memories. Max put the camera on the seat across from them and set the timer. She had sat beside him when Terry grabbed Max by the waist and pulled her across his lap sideways in a cradling position in his arms. Max had wrapped her arms around his neck and put the stuffed animal on her lap. They both smiled happily as the camera took the picture just as the fireworks lit up the sky behind him. Max and Mary both had a copy of the picture. Mary whispers, "I miss her. I hope she's okay." The thought of something terrible happening to Max made Mary want to cry. She didn't need to get so emotionally upset in her current state but…

Terry places his arms around his mother's shoulders. "Don't worry mom. I'm sure she's fine. The Jokerz probably let her go and she's waiting for the cops to find her." He smiles, ''And when they do she'll cuss them out for taking so long." The mother and son laugh at the thought. That was something Max would definitely do. Sometime later Terry tucks his mother in bed and lays on the living room couch and turns on the T.V. Ace jumps on the couch beside him and places his black head on Terry's thigh and sighs with a soft whimper. Terry rubs the Great Dane's head, understanding what the dog was feeling. McGinnis missed Max more than anything. It made no sense that something like this should happen to her. An image of Max smiling at him pops in the young Batman's head. He smiles then, until the next image that surfaces is when Gibson had walked out of the door crying. Terry holds his head down and feels his eyes begin to water. Terry wasn't much for shedding tears but he didn't know what else to do. Ace lifts his head and licks McGinnis's cheek affectionately. "I'm such an idiot," he whispers. "Why did I let her go? I'm so stupid!" He shakes his head.

All Max ever wanted to do was to help him; was to be a part of something wonderful. And all the young Batman ever did was break the girl's heart. He couldn't understand why Max would want to continue to be around a guy like him even though he caused so many bad things to flow between them and watch her cry. It was like she liked the way it hurt…loved the way he lied. Why would Max stay in such a painful situation? They were like two dangerous forces meeting together in anger. Destruction was the only outlook in such a joining. Terry was bad for her, he thought this hard and true, and in the end he was leading to the demise of the woman he loved and who loved him back. The picture of Max lying in a dark alleyway covered in her own blood explodes within Terry's mind. He clamps his eyes close even tighter in an attempt to erase such a thought from his mind. Those beautiful eyes held so many mysteries and Terry was afraid he would never be able to tap into them. Ace whines once again and cuddles his body closer to Terry's. McGinnis frowns as he pets Ace with one hand and dries his tears with the other. He wouldn't stop until he found her. It didn't matter if he had to search for years: he would find Max alive and well. And if he found her dead...he would eliminate the Jokerz populous for good as he should've done when he thought they killed his father. Batman would see if Jokerz still smiled when dead.

The next two weeks pass by mercilessly for not only Max, but Terry as well. Terry was still fruitlessly searching for his best friend and Max was still fighting for her life in the game preserve. Hamilton Hill High made a memorial for Max and placed it in front of her locker. Terry hated that: how everyone could just assume she was dead. He could feel in his heart that she was alive. And she was alive; though just barely. But the time for Max's freedom had finally come!

Max cowers in the bushes with Lionel by her side and looks at the outpost with gleaming eyes. The now distinguished white diamond shaped mark on her chest was very noticeable on herself as well as Lionel. This symbol indicated that any "animal" that wore it was seriously difficult and dangerous game (which brought their bounty up even higher). Even though Max is slightly proud that she can't be killed she realizes that things would be and were more dangerous for them. She gives Lionel a look and the cub creeps out of the bushes and meows, drawing the attention of the two Jokerz on duty there. As the two leave from their post, Max stealthily creeps into the tent and finds a phone. She types in a number on the keypad and switches her eyes back in forth in caution. The other line picks up: "Hello?"

"Bruce. It's me."

"MAX? Where are you? Are you ok?" Bruce demands in a nervous tension. He then sits up straight as he realizes the appearance of his "daughter".

"I'm fine…sort of," Max sighs with relief. "I've been spliced and I'm being held hostage with others…it's the serial killer."

Bruce looks at her seriously and says, "Hold on kid. I'm sending help." The old man begins to activate a tracking device to locate where she was calling from.

"Thanks," says Max. She turns as she hears the voices of the Jokerz approaching. "I have to go. Tell him to meet me at the large Mariposa tree in the center of where I am."

"Got it. And Max?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful, daughter."

"Thanks Bruce." Max turns off the phone and leaps back into the bushes, catching up with Lionel as they run towards the heart of the preserve.

Terry is flying around the heart of Gotham when he gets the call from Bruce. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Terry, I found Max."

"What?" The car swerves slightly and Terry regains his composure. "Where is she? Is she alright?" Terry demands.

"I'm sending you the coordinates. She wants to meet at the Mariposa Tree."

Batman pushes straight down on the throttle and flies off at top speed. "On my way."

Max paces the front of the tree anxiously. Where was he? Lionel curls up in a ball and watches his newfound mother fiercely. She was on edge, he could tell, and that made him all the more nervous. "Are you ok?" he asks.

Max faces him and smiles, "I'm fine honey. Don't you worry." She wasn't fine. Batman was on his way. That meant possible freedom for all of the victims here on the reserve, but it also meant having to come face to face with her heartache. Max shakes her head roughly. She couldn't let herself think about that at a time like this! There were greater problems than her private dilemma.

Lionel sits up and arches his back ferociously and lets out a hiss. His ears lay back as his head faces something in front of them. Visibly there was no one there, but he could smell whatever it was. Max sniffs the air rapidly and also catches the scent…it was unusual: slightly familiar and yet held the components of Jokerz…a lot of Jokerz. The Black Panther positions herself in front of Lionel and growls out angrily. Could it be the Chameleon? There were a handful of Chameleon spliced Jokerz that could turn completely invisible and often assisted hunters in catching difficult prey. Max thought she got a good number of them but perhaps the survivors just didn't catch the point! Pinpointing the approaching threat Max creeps into the bushes and lays wait for the perfect moment. When the invisible force spots Lionel and begins moving towards him, Max leaps forward and swings her claws. The nails scratch something tough and a voice gives out a yell of surprise. Max slides about the earth and regains her footing. She jumps upon the person and begins to bite down on where its throat should be when she feels something on her stomach, and it propels her off and onto the ground.

She hisses angrily and is about to make another attack when the cloaking device is disabled and the Black suited form stands ready to defend himself from the attacker. Max pauses and raises her head in question. "Ter – er - Batman?" she asks. It was stupid to ask when she could see him right in front of her!

Batman cocks his head to the side and relaxes his stance. He doesn't immediately recognize the feline beauty. He states, "I was told to come here by a friend. Have you seen her? Don't worry," he directs to the little lion behind the female, "I'm gonna get you out of here."

Max raises her body full height and says hotly, "You idiot! What took you so fucking long! We're sitting ducks out here!"

Batman opens his eyes in complete shock. "Max?" He blushes and looks to the ground, tearing his gaze from her naked body. Well, she wasn't exactly naked; she was covered in a sleek layer of fur, but still…it made Terry a little embarrassed to see his best friend like that. "What happened to you?"

Lionel edges curiously over to Max and crouches behind her leg. Max smiles at him: one minute he was all big and bad and the next he was a total wuss! He asks in a whisper, "Is Batman gonna get us out mama?"

"Mama?" Terry asks baffled.

Max rolls her eyes at Batman and states to the both of them, "We need to get off the ground." With a swift movement Max scoops Lionel up into her jaws and scales the tree with ease. Batman remains appalled by her movements which were so elegant and swift yet deadly at the same time. He uses the jets on his feet and quickly sends himself up into the tree and lands on a high branch in front of Max. Lionel lays down against the trunk of the tree while Gibson creeps farther out onto the branch to talk to Batman. She meets eyes with him and is about to say something but finds that she cannot. She was so angry at herself for getting put into their situation. She wanted to forget anything ever happened but knew that that was virtually impossible. Max bites her lip and turns away from his gaze. If she looked at him any longer she would probably wind up crying.

Batman's heart accelerates greatly and he releases a deep sigh from his lips. There were so many things he wanted to say but he didn't know if she would want to hear them. And when she turned away from him his heart dropped. "Max," he begins with a whisper. "What's been going on here?"

"The Jokerz are having some kind of safari hunt here. They splice people and bring in big time business men to hunt us. It's terrible what's going on. People are dying left and right. I've had to kill so many of them just to survive."

"Kill?" Batman says in shock. Bruce lets out a deep sigh. "Max, why would you-?"

"What?" Max demands hotly, facing him with a fierce stare. "Am I supposed to just sit by and let them hunt me and the cub down? You're crazy if that's what you think!"

"But to kill? C'mon," Batman replies back with an icy anger. "You know better than that! Is that the answer to everything? Murder somebody when they piss you off?"

"I wish I could murder you all the time!"

"What? Look at that kid, Max! You're killing people in front of him!"

Max hisses out and points an accusing finger at her best friend. "Don't you play that heroic shit with me, Batfreak! You don't know what it's been like in here."

"Who's the freak? Look at you!" Batman stops abruptly. He was doing it again: starting the argument and hitting low when Max wasn't taking his bullshit. Max flinches and holds down her head, wrapping her claws around her body protectively. This is always what happened! Why were things so difficult between them? "Max, I—I didn't mean – I'm sorry."

"So I've killed to protect me and the cub," Max whispers. "That's nothing compared to the ways you've killed me…"

Batman balls up his fist in anxiety. Killed her; that sounds about right. It destroyed him every time she was put in harm's way: whether it be by someone else, or by him. Batman reaches out and takes Max's hand. She looks at with teary eyes and he wipes them away with his other hand. "I never want to hurt you," he whispers. "Max, I love you too much to let something drive a wedge between us. If you want me to leave forever, if that will make you happy, then just say so and I'll be out of your life by the time the sun is up. Just tell me what to do; I can't keep hurting you like this."

Max's eyes open completely wide in shock. That wasn't something that she wanted to hear, but it was something that the young girl had been contemplating for a very long time. If she lived without Terry or Batman in her life, maybe she could be somewhat happy again. Then again, happiness wasn't really something that she was capable of doing alone. The spliced teen is about to open her mouth when a loud screech comes down to them from the air. She looks up to see a Jokerz teen that had been spliced with Eagle DNA plummet out of the sky towards them. How many of these spliced clowns were there? It seemed that they had to be more aware of the Jokerz than the actual hunters with guns and a mind to kill them. Lionel sits up and stares at the bird as it approaches. Batman throws his arms protectively around Max and shoves her down, but the talons of the Joker grips itself around the Lion cub as he screams out in sheer terror. The Eagle flies off into the night sky with Lionel in his grasp as Max pushes Batman off of her. "Lionel! Cub!" She yells loudly.

Lionel sinks his teeth into the bird's leg and it caws out in pain and releases its hold on the young child. Lionel plummets to the far away ground, hollering for his "mama" to come save him as she always did. But this time, Max wouldn't be able to save him. Max, crouched on the branch and extending her hand towards the figure of the cub falling out the sky, screams at the top of her lungs, "LIONEEEEEEEEELLLL!"

_TO BE CONTINUED…_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi everybody! RyokoMist here. Sorry it took so long to upload this next chapter, but here it is. Oh and by the way, this story is FAR from over (at least I hope it is) ^o^. Most people think this story is about Max being spliced, but if you read the description "The Hunted" is about sooo much more! Max being spliced, is Just The BEGINNING! lol, perhaps this will keep you interested! Remember I have a Naruto fanfic completed if anyone wants to read it. Anyways, thanks so much for the support! (SN: The characters may seem a little OOC here...but i will try my best to fix that. Remember, I've just been writing this completely out of memory from the show. Since it's on tv again perhaps that'll help me get back on track! lol)_

Batman turns on his jet boots and takes off from the branch, spreading his wings in a quick movement, and propels himself towards the figure of the young cub tumbling from the sky. Max remains stiff on the branch, her muscles failing her at that moment. Max's chest moves up and down rapidly as her breath begins to catch in her throat. If only he could reach the cub. God, let him reach the cub! The space between Batman and Lionel closes quickly and the hero reaches his hand out for the small paw. But before they can lock hands Batman is struck from behind by the spliced Joker. Terry readjusts his position and gives the bird one good punch, knocking him out cold, before realizing that he had missed Lionel. Terry closes his wings and allows his body to shoot straight forward towards Lionel – and the ground.

Max tenses and her nails dig deep within the bark of the tree branch as she watches fearfully. Why couldn't she move? The entire time that they were there on the hunting grounds Max did nothing but protect Lionel. He was the closest thing to love she had felt and she needed him; not as a crutch, but as a person who she could be open with: a companion, yet more. The young panther had always thought of kids as trouble. Matt was the only exception she had made for children. But now she had the urge to protect and love something in a maternal way. Whether it was because of the animal DNA coursing through her body or the fact that the girl was lonely, she couldn't decipher. Yet, here she was in a tree while the cub – her cub – plummeted to his certain death. Max bites her lip. She felt as if she was becoming like her parents: careless to the fate of others, particularly the ones who was supposed to be closest to her. When she first received her powers she was angry, but then the anger turned into pure joy. But now she felt nothing: she felt the same weakness from when she was a normal human sitting on the sidelines, forced to watch while others suffered (then again, she was always a girl of action. Sitting behind was not her forte'.) Dammit! Why couldn't she move? Why now of all times did she have to regress? Terry was endangering himself to save the child, and they both could die. Why couldn't she help them? Max had become a statue there on the branch, confused and angry at herself. She tries to will her body to move, flinch, something! All to no avail. She can do nothing but hope: "Please," she whispers. "Lionel…"

Batman strains every muscle in his body. The ground was fast approaching but he would not pull his wings until the absolute last minute if necessary. In the suit his body could possibly accept the impact with minimal damage, but the child… "Just a little more," he thinks to himself. He stretches his hand out for the kid, who looked simply terrified by the ordeal. "C'mon kid!" Batman yells. "Give me your hand!" Lionel whimpers and lifts his paw. Batman strains his fingers, urging them to make it out a little farther to Lionel's. The ground was there – just a few feet more. He wouldn't make it. Terry can hear Bruce yelling for him to pull up, but he doesn't. He couldn't let something happen to this kid and hurt Max. Max. Terry tenses his jaw and stretches out farther, clutching the boy and pulling him into his chest just as they crash into the hard earth, a cloud of dust enveloping them.

Max draws in her breath and shakes her head slowly. It couldn't be. The feline growls at her brain; forcing her limbs to regain the ability of movement. She leaps from the tree and lands on the ground, getting on all fours and runs. Her muscles flex and burn with the force of the power she releases in her stride as she runs in the direction where Batman and Lionel fell. Her mind races alongside her body. They had to be alright, they just had to be! If she lost one of them her entire world would be turned upside down. And Terry…Max's eyes begin to water as she draws closer, making out a large black lump in the earth. Terry…Max stops and hesitates a few feet away from the mass. Batman was lying on the ground on his side, completely unmoving. She walks slowly towards his body. When she is directly above him Max clamps her hand over her mouth and weeps. In his arms was Lionel, who was also very still. With her hand she gives Batman a gentle nudge but there is no reaction. Terry…How could she be so stupid? Max lies down on her side in front of Terry and places her face inches from his, the tears flowing uncontrollably down her face as she softly caresses his cheek. If she was weak then she didn't care if it meant being with him. She loved him – that was obvious and yet she let herself become angry for the dumbest reasons and turn away from what she craved the most. How strange it was that now the girl could understand the difficulty for Terry concerning Dana…the difficulty between them. Just like she was, he was afraid. Afraid of how wonderful and deeply in love he was with her. Sure he was overprotective and could be a total ass but that was just because Terry cared. Max had always resisted his overprotective ways because she wasn't use to someone wanting to protect and take care of her. Max squeezes her eyes shut and weeps. What an idiot she was! She was a total dreg for treating him like she did. "I'm sorry," she whispers. "Terry…Batman, I love you so much…please! Don't leave me…you are…my heaven. _Please_."

"I should almost die more often," a hoarse voice says slowly. Max opens her eyes to find Batman staring right back at her, a soft crooked smile on his lips. He touches her face as well and states, "Max, does this mean I'm forgiven?" Max's brows arch upward in complete sorrow. If _he _was forgiven? She should be the one begging for his pity! Terry hurt her, this was true, but Max had hurt him as well. She threatened to leave him; to forget his very existence if necessary. If such a thought could ache Max, she couldn't imagine what it had done to Terry. He needed her, not just to find out info on the bad guys or help him track down a tough case or hack into a secure defense system; he needed her for his heart. Terry was alone too in many ways, and having Max know his secret made all the difference in the young Batman's life. What's more, he had found someone that he didn't have to keep secrets from (even though he occasionally did so) and who could understand _him_ and his mindset on a complete level. They may have had their differences concerning their problems but Max and Terry and even Bruce were the same. They had been bonded together by an invisible force…no, by a common connection and duty. To break that bond would have been unforgiveable – it would have been catastrophic for them all. They needed one another.

She hears Lionel take a soft breath and looks at him with compassionate eyes. The teenage panther gently rubs her head against Lionel's as he begins to purr weakly. Batman gradually rises from the ground and dusts off his suit, examining his self over and telling Bruce, "No major damages here. This baby's really tough."

Bruce asks with a sigh of relief, "Everything fixed?" Watching that whole ordeal nearly gave Bruce a heart attack. He was sure that he had lost his young apprentice – his son.

Batman watches as Max stands, cradling Lionel in her capable arms and rubbing faces with him. She then walks towards him with a soft expression and leans against his chest. Terry wraps his fingers around her shoulders and leans down to kiss Max. The kiss within itself was passionate and satisfying. For so long he wanted to touch Max's lips with his own in a way of decreeing his love for his best friend…and he finally got to do it. He finally pulls away from her lips and briefly presses his forehead against hers. "Everything's fixed," he replies to Bruce, "and I won't break it ever again."

Bruce smiles and replies, "Good. Now quit fooling around with Max and do your job. I called Barbara and sent her the coordinates. She's on her way there with tons of manpower and cures for anybody spliced – victim or not. I suggest you get Max to me immediately."

Batman hesitates at the seriousness of Wayne's command. "What? Is something wrong?"

"While you were gawking at her," Bruce smiles slightly, "I was able to get an examination in of her DNA coding. Remember when Cuvier spliced you with way too much Vampire Bat DNA?"

Terry nods his head and turns his back to Max, who had begun to stare at him with concern at his expression. "Yeah, I went totally crazy."

"The Jokerz injected Max with way too much Black Panther DNA. It's a miracle she's been able to maintain her sanity and hasn't fallen to a complete beastly state. You've probably noticed how so much like the animal Max looks. Most of the other spliced victims there still retain most of their humanoid appearance. But Max looks more like a Panther. Trying to cure Max will be difficult to accomplish…" he pauses, "if at all."

Batman narrows his eyes in deep thought. There was a possibility that Max would remain an animal forever and, worse, eventually become too dangerous for the human populous: that's basically what the old man was saying. He sighs out. There was no way he would let Max suffer. He turns back to Max, about to speak, only to find Max cradling over Lionel in her arms and looking completely terrified. "What's wrong?" he demands.

"Lionel," Max responds. "He's hurt really bad!" She shakes her head violently. "I'm such an idiot! If I would've gotten out of the tree when he started falling I could of did something to catch him!"

Batman grabs Max shoulders and says sternly, "Don't you dare blame yourself for this Max! It's not your fault. You've done so much for the kid up to now, you should be happy about that." He can tell by Max's expression that she didn't believe him. She looks down at the little kid and stares at him with a sorrowful gaze. Batman examines the boy with an ultrasound type vision. His ribs were broken, lungs collapsing, heart slowing…"Come on. We're going to the boss."

Max snatches her head up quickly and looks at him with confused eyes. "What?"

"Max, I've got to get you out of here, the kid too. Wayne can treat him back at the cave."

"He won't make it that far! He's dying Batman!"

"I know that. This is why we need to go now. You need special treatment, Max. The Boss says that you could go savage any minute and the longer we delay the tougher it'll be to turn you human again."

"Fuck turning me human," Max says without hesitation. Her own well-being was not of any importance at the moment, "Lionel needs help now. They've got medical supplies on the wall. When the prime animals have been injured at the end of the hunting day, they're taken to the wall and injected with a healing serum. It can at least put the body into the beginning stages of self-healing if it doesn't complete the job itself. That's where he needs to go. Then you can take us to father."

Terry shakes his head in exasperation. Here they go again with the arguing. "Max—"

"Slag it Batman!" She eyes him fiercely, growing quite weary and annoyed with the disagreement.

Batman narrows his brows and moves forward towards her. "Max, if you don't come willingly I'm gonna have to make you." He reaches his hand out for her but Max takes a step back and places her body in an aggressively defensive position, turning her upper torso slightly as to shield Lionel to the side.

A deadly growl rips through Max's throat causing Terry to pause and Bruce to take a deep breath. "Come near me Batman and I will rip your throat out!" Then a little more gently she adds, "I'm scared okay? Lionel won't make it back to the lair. I know this. Please? I don't want to fight you because I love you…but Batman, to make sure this cub is safe I will fight and hurt you without hesitation." Max then addresses, "Father, you have to know I'm right! I know you love us too much to watch us fight so if anyone can convince him it's you."

Bruce remains silent at the computer screen with his fingers on his chin in a thinking state. He wanted Max to be brought to him immediately, but he also knew that the kid was dying and that Gibson was willing to seriously injure Terry if necessary to keep the child alive. From his diagnostics he could see that Lionel needed some kind of medical attention. But every moment that passed meant little chance of Max being normal again. Max and Terry stand there across from each other in a tense silence as Wayne ponders it over. They both reveal in their expressions that they stood firm on their beliefs. "Terry," Bruce says finally.

"Yeah?"

"Get that kid treated as fast as possible and leave him for Barbara. I'll tell her where she can find him. She's only about ten minutes away from there. Make it quick and bring Max."

Batman nods his head slowly, still objecting at the thought, and turns and spreads his wings out. "C'mon," he says to Max. "We're going to have to move fast."

"Wait!"

Batman turns to find Max handing Lionel to him. "I don't wanna run with him and damage the cub any more than he already is. Fly him, I'll be fight behind you…hold him tight." Max caresses her fingers delicately along the comatose child's jaw. "I'm sorry you both."

Batman smirks. "I wouldn't have let you get away from me without a fight."

Max gets down on all fours and flicks her tail with gentle amusement. "I know. You're always either fighting against me or for me…" she adds slyly, "I would've won anyway." With a strong burst of energy she takes off with lightning speed towards the wall, Batman flying right after her thinking, "_Sure you would've._"

At the wall, a group of Jokerz rush down the hall. Their cameras had picked up the arrival of Batman and could see that he, along with their prize game, was on their way to wall. The detectors outside of the wall also picked up that a freaking army of cops were on their way there. There was an evacuation in order. Many of the hunters had disappeared long ago, leaving the gang members to get caught. Haha organizes the few Jokerz he had on his side who were willing to stand and fight. This was their chance to get the cops and Commissioner and to finally kill the Bat. He wanted to exterminate as many of the game animals as he could, but they were all still out on the reserve. The young leader wouldn't risk wasting time to get rid of the splicers. He was willing to lose them all to the cops. They had made more than enough money and there was really no more need for the hunting game except for the fun of it and extra cash it put in their pockets. The real job had been long ago complete. But in truth, the real reason he had stayed behind for so long, overseeing everything that happened there, was because he had become fondly interested in the Black Panther. She was beautiful, this was true, but her complete attitude was so intriguing. Oh what a wonderful Jokerz she would make! And what a wonderful woman she would make for him. He had tried many times to get her to join the gang; and every time he was met with hisses, growls, and an occasionally slice from those long claws of hers. Oh what joyous fun she was!

He was expecting for them to arrive soon, the cops and his little prey, and Haha was rather excited at the thought. The sooner the cops came the sooner his men could take some of them out. The faster Batman arrived the sooner the Jokerz could get rid of the twip. And the quicker the panther got to the wall, to him, the greater his chances in making her his…or at least having a little fun with her! Haha smiles at the idea. He is positive that she won't say no…nobody else ever has. The leader thinks he's purely irresistible or at least frighteningly intimidating. If she doesn't become his for the fun of it, she will join because of her fear. How little he knew Max. The halls and rooms become quickly deserted as the alarm goes off for the arrival of the Bat and panther. Oh what fun this would be! Haha goes outside to the edge of the wall and sticks his head over the side to see down below. "Fire!" he commands. "But try not to kill the girl, I want her."

"What about the little kid?" a painted teen asks nervously. His boss had been going a bit far in his obsession. They knew he was nothing like the real Joker, but he was damn close enough to make everyone uneasy.

Haha turns an amused gaze at the fellow gang member and replies with a dark smirk, "He's of no use to us: unless you girlfriend craves a pet. Otherwise, kill him." The group of followers gulp simultaneously and Haha releases a screeching laugh of pleasure.

Everything happens pretty fast after that. They could see Batman flying towards them with something in his hands. He tilts his body upwards and flies straight for them. The Jokerz shoot at him over and over again but the vigilante bat dodges every bullet, every laser that came his way. Before long he was there, dropping quickly to the ground and begins to fight. With one arm wrapped protectively around Lionel, Batman fights off many of the Jokerz: punching, kicking, you name it. A female Joker wearing a short pink poke-a-dotted dress comes charging at Batman with a bag covered in spikes. He recognized her well and had many run-ins with her particular gang since they had the most territory in Gotham. It seemed that every Jokerz gang in the city was taking part in this hunting bit. Batman leans to the left as her bag comes crashing down towards him. With a leap in the air Batman thrusts out his leg, kicking the girl directly in the face. He lands on his feet and dusts off his shirt, positive that that was the end of her. The edge was emptying out so quickly. Jokerz. Max had been right that day in the school: All bark and no bite!

Batman looks over to the side and gasps in surprise. Sprawled out on the ground were three large, spliced Jokerz. One of them looked like Ramrod, the other two he couldn't make out: they looked like they had been spliced with some type of Rhino DNA. Max was pacing their bodies slowly as if she was debating whether she should finish them off. She looks up at the ledge and pierces through Terry with her bright yellow eyes. Max could see what Terry was probably thinking and she shakes her head wearily. With a bounding leap Max digs her claws into the concrete of the wall and runs up it rapidly. Terry asks, "Wayne, are you seeing this? She's running up a concrete wall!"

"I see it," Wayne says. "Interesting." A word Bruce rarely used to describe _anything_. Her behaviors were rather extraordinary. Terry needed to get Max back to the lair as soon as possible. Bruce could only hope that the splicing didn't mess with Gibson's thinking, attitude, her entire personality!

Max arrives to the top and with one hand tosses her body over and comes to rest smoothly on the ground. Batman jokes, "What took you so long? I thought you would be right behind me."

"I was a little distracted at the moment," she replies with a smile.

"Well I guess it's a good thing I got the deck cleared off for you. I took care of most of the work."

Max stands up slowly and states, "I doubt hormonal teens are much of a challenge compared to a bull and two Black Rhinos, the most aggressive species of Rhino." Her eyes become drawn forward at the figure of something standing up. Max points her finger and states, "Besides, you missed one." Batman looks at the figure of the female Joker standing up, holding her head down weakly.

"She shouldn't be much trouble," Terry shrugs. The girl shoots her face up and reveals slitted eyes and opens her mouth showing fangs. Her nails protrude from her fingertips into sharp claws and she adjusts her position to a stance of attack. Terry looks at Max with an embarrassed grin. Max folds her arms across her chest and eyes him with annoyance. Terry propels himself towards the girl who dodges and slices him across the chest with her talon like claws. In a quick movement she arches her body to the side, flips in mid-air and slams her foot at Terry's jaw. Terry flies back upon the ground, shielding Lionel. The Joker girl positions herself again, not looking at all like she had exerted any energy in the first place.

Max growls out in frustration. The last thing she needed was a delay in getting Lionel treated. This girl appeared to be spliced with some type of feline as well, and from the looks of it, a mountain lion. Max stands in front of her love and says, "You try to find the serum. _I'll_ take care of miss kitty."

Batman debates, "Max, I'm not going to leave you!"

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." Without another word Max crouches her body and lifts her hands in front of her slightly. The Jokerz girl lets out an intimidating growl and Max answers back with a flesh-crawling hiss. They charge one another, locking arms and tussling around on the hard concrete floor, ripping out growls and screeches in anger. The Joker backhands Gibson, making Max shift back. But Max isn't going to let some little wannabe get a hit in and not feel pain herself! Max slices the girl's neck with her claws and leaps back upon her. Batman blushes slightly and whispers, "Shway…a cat fight."

Bruce demands hotly, "McGinnis get out of there! Max can hold her own, you find that serum!"

Terry groans out in protest, "C'mon, just a few minutes longer! It's not every day I get to see something like this."

"MCGINNIS!"

Terry sulks his shoulders and walks towards an entrance leading into the wall, the screams, growls, and profanity from the girls dwindling behind him. "I guess you're right. If this kid dies on me I'll be the one getting terminated…by Max!" Batman slinks through the halls swiftly, poking his head into every room possible. Occasionally he can hear the scream of the fight and a gunshot here or there: apparently the brown beauty wasn't in a fair fight. So many times he wants to turn back and help her, but he knows that she won't like it. Max was still trying to prove herself even though it wasn't necessary. As he tries to find the treatment room Batman allows himself a glance at the cub laying there weak and frail in his arms. Lionel lets out a soft sigh and Batman narrows his eyes in thought. Taking up this job wasn't just something to do as a past-time, no, it was a duty. Protecting the weak was a part of Terry's life now and forever would be. Things were difficult: he had lost Dana (although he couldn't really complain about it too much since he found Max), his grades were suffering, and he was constantly at risk of being found out and putting his family in danger. His family. He was so busy with Wayne that he felt bad for not being there with them. Mary was worried about Terry, he could tell, and Matt (besides being the usual twip) missed his big brother. Even when he was with Max there was a border dividing him from the rest of the world. Terry feels the warmth slipping out of Lionel's body. If that was Matt dying Terry would be enflamed with rage. Batman turns into a door on his left and sighs out with relief. Finally, the treatment room.

Terry places Lionel delicately on the table and starts searching through the cabinets, praying that all the serums hadn't been taken away. Just then, Terry feels a pain shoot through the back of his neck. He falls to the ground and groans out in pain. When he looks up he finds Haha standing over him with a tire iron in his hands, frowning. Terry prepares to get up and counterattack when Haha swings the iron down on him again and again. The Joker then reaches over to a large metal cabinet behind Batman and pushes it down upon him. Bruce yells in Terry's head but the young vigilante can only respond with labored breathing as he suffers with the pain shooting through his brain. Haha walks casually over to Lionel on the table and states, "I must say I'm rather disappointed. I was hoping it wasn't you, Bats." He touches Lionel's ear and explains, "But if the kid is here, then mama can't be too far behind. I guess I'll just have to wait for her."

Terry demands, the pain still flooding through him, "What do you want with the girl?"

"Ah, the girl!" Haha exclaims. "She's beautiful isn't she? I've been watching her for a while and I think she would make an excellent addition to my gang. Plus, it'll be fun playing in the bed with a hottie like that!"

"You asshole, what makes you think she'll want someone like you?" Batman demands, feeling angry that Haha wanted Max for such sick reasons.

"Tsk! Testy Batman! What's it matter to you?"

Batman struggles with the weight of the cabinet, trying to find a good hold to push it off his body. "The girl will never join you or your clown freak show!"

Haha pulls out a knife and holds it to Lionel. "Which is why I'm prepared to give a little…persuasion."He places the knife to Lionel's chest and begins to cut. The velvet blood pours freely from Lionel as he emits a groan of pain. Haha laughs as Batman begins to lift the cabinet off. But Haha's laugh is cut off as a fierce growl emits from the doorway. Max leaps into the room and shoves Haha away from the cub. She bares her fangs and quickly assesses Lionel. She notices the blood and growls out with more anger.

"You bastard!" she yells.

Haha stands and raises his hands in innocence as the police sirens ring throughout the premises and the sound of officers running around the halls flows into the room. "C'mon now honey. Let's not fight in front of the kids." He whips out a gun and fires it at Max who bounds out of the way in the nick of time. Batman tosses the cabinet off and throws a Bataraang towards the clown, but misses. Max demands, "Batman, you find the serum, it's blue. I'll handle this clown." Terry nods his head and begins to shuffle through the room, looking through every object in his way. Meanwhile, Max gets on all fours and paces around Haha. He states with a wide grin, "Now I see why Terminal was after you: you're such a threat." Max narrows her eyes. "I have a proposition for you: Join me," he says pointing to his self, "and I will make your wildest dreams come true. I can give you anything: money, power…"

"We've been through this long enough, don't you think? Unless," Max asks with fake excitement, "Can you give me your blood on my claws? Or how about your head on a silver platter?"

"If that's what you wish." Max shakes her head in disgust. What was with this guy? "C'mon kitty. There has to be something. I did some research on you Max. What a terrible childhood you had. What they did to you was unforgivable! Perhaps I can help you receive closure."

"Closure?" Max asks, slightly intrigued.

"Vengeance. I'll kill your father if that'll make you happy." Max pauses. Now that _did_ sound promising.

Batman stops his searching long enough to yell, "Don't listen to him!" If Terry knew one thing about Max, even before she told him what had happened to her, it was that she disliked her mother and hated her father with a passion. The thought of getting back at him would be all too tempting even for Max. He was sure that she wouldn't thrust herself at Haha and declare, "Take me! I'm yours!" But even if he didn't do it, that thought would be lingering in the back of Max's head for a long, long time. And when Max had something in her head it wasn't a good idea to let it sit too long.

Max shakes her head and proceeds forward in her attack of Haha. He continues, a little more nervously now, "You're a girl with a wicked mind Max. Surely not even you can resist the temptation of your father's blood on your hands, in your mouth."

Max's hair rises. "You're sick. I won't join you, not now, not ever."

Batman turns over a box and finds a syringe of blue liquid and sighs with relief. He rushes over to Lionel, about to inject it in the kid when he hears a loud scream from Haha just as Commissioner Gordon storms through the room, her gun raised and yelling for Haha to drop his weapon. He can hear the gasp of shock at Max's appearance from her and the officers with her. Haha, realizing that he couldn't get the panther to join him and reeling from the anger of being rejected for the first time yells angrily and points his gun towards Batman, "FINE! If I can't make you mine, then you will suffer!" The gun fires.

Batman hesitates. Then after a few moments he checks himself over. He wasn't shot. But if the bullet didn't hit him, then who did it-? Terry looks down at Lionel, his little paw hanging limply over the side of the table, his chest no longer moving from his slowing breaths, his eyes rolled into his head, and smoke pouring from his side. The room is silent at first, and then a harsh scream swallows the wall. Batman turns to Max, her body trembling violently as her eyes rest on Lionel's body. Batman quickly turns and inserts the needle and pushes the blue liquid inside of Lionel's arm. He couldn't be too late, could he? Max faces Haha and lets out a ripping roar from her throat. The hair's on her body raise up angrily. This was it. This was what Bruce was afraid would happen. The DNA was taking over. Pretty soon, there would be no more Max; just a pissed off, bloodthirsty Black Panther. Batman orders the Commissioner, "You've got to restrain her! NOW!" The officers lunge forward and try to bring Max down. But her anger has made her strong. She tosses them off of her like rag dolls and runs for Haha, who was attempting to run. Batman propels himself forward with his jet boots, slamming into Max and causing them to crash into the wall. "Max!" Batman yells. "Stop! You have to stop!" The only response is a claw slicing through the chest of the bat suit and ripping through Terry's flesh. Batman screams out in agony and jumps back.

Commissioner Gordon raises her weapon and points it at the estranged panther, a clean shot in her sights. Batman yells for her to lower it. "Sorry kid," she states, "but I can't let anyone else get hurt."

Max runs for Haha once more and leaps. Just then, her sensitive ears pick up the sound of a small breath. Her eyes dart over quickly to the table where the cub was lying. They open wide in shock as Lionel is staring back at her weakly, mouthing, "Don't mother." As Max's body falls closer towards Haha, the clown raises his gun and fires. A cry of pain emits from Max, which turns again to anger. She lands on Haha and swiftly bites down on his neck. Another gunshot rings from underneath her and she flinches.

The Black Panther pulls back from Haha and gazes into his face. He was _smiling_? Haha cackles in a gurgle, enjoying the fact that she had killed him. Oh what fun it was! How fitting: to be killed by his obsessing love knowing that she would die alongside of him. A tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet it was! His cackle eventually dies and so does he, eyes open and a sick smile sprawled across his face.

Max shakes her head slowly, her original mindset returning. She looks at the gathered officers, one of them taking Lionel out of the room. Barbara meets eyes with her and bites her lip compassionately. What an idiot she was! Max places her hand delicately on her stomach where the second bullet had penetrated. The first had gone through her chest. She strains in a breath as she feels the bullet near her heart somewhere, tasting the iron of her blood. She tries to stand, but her legs fail her at the moment and Max goes crashing down to the hard ground. Great…what a perfect time and way to die. Gibson remains unmoving on the ground. The pain wasn't as hard that way.

Barbara sighs out heavily and shakes her head. She raises her communicator and is about to try to call for an ambulance team to get up there when she stops and is appalled at the sight before her. Batman appears suddenly at Max's side and is caressing her face gently, whispering something into her ears. When he reaches under her body beginning to lift her up Barbara states, "Leave her Batman. We can handle it."

Batman shoots the Commissioner a look and counters, "Sorry Commish, but I don't think so. As if I would leave her in your care. She's dying."

"My men can fix that. Plus we've got the cure."

Batman lifts Max's body and cradles her gently in his arms. "Your cure can't do anything for her." Barbara pauses. "I'm taking her. I've got what she needs."

Barbara balls her fists and bites down hard on her lips. Oh joy! How would she explain this one? "You saying she needs special treatment only you can provide her with?" Batman nods. Barbara rubs the top of her forehead with her fingers, pinching her skin together with her fingertips in frustration. She turns her back to Batman, staring at her men and states, "Fine. But if she doesn't reappear on the radar soon, and if she dies, I'm coming for you."

Batman walks past the Commissioner out the door, through the halls, and to the edge of the wall. He spots the Jokerz girl that Max had been fighting in custody of the police, looking roughed up and worn. Batman stands on the ledge and presses a button on his arm. Within minutes the Batmobile lowers itself in front of the wall, just inches from him. Batman looks down at Max, her body growing limp in his arms, her head hanging over the side of his arm as she loses consciousness. Bruce says, "Bring her quickly. No stops. I don't care if there's a cat stuck in a tree. You bring my daughter here first, and then go about work. Got it?"

Batman replies harshly, "You don't have to tell me that!" Then to Max he whispers, "Hang in there for me. I've come this far to have you, I can't lose you now." With a smooth leap, he leaps inside the Batmobile and adjusts Max's body across his lap as comfortably as possible. Barbara sticks her hand in her pockets and watches as the top closes and the Batcar takes off at mach 5 speed towards the person she knew could help. If he could…

_TO BE CONTINUED…_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello everybody! Happy Holidays! lol Here's ch. 4 Now, this is what I call an "In-Between" chapter, where the particular section of the story is more of a relaxed plot before re-introducing the action. But do not worry! The action and true storyline of this fanfic will begin in Ch,5. Thanks for being so patient with me, I wanted to really introduce how the main problem would be occuring and I've done that! HOORAY! lol anyways, I will do my best to update soon. Due to certain family difficulties it might be a while (such as months..let's hope not. I will fight that!), but i will do all i can to post ASAP so just be looking out for me! Thankies again my readers. Also I now have a community dedicated to Max called "Heart of an Amazon" (u can see the link on my profile) so if you have any Max stories, please add them! I myself will be adding my own since I do intend on writing more BB fanfics: either different stories or continuing this one. WHEW! OK, now seriously, here's the story:_

It would be difficult…very difficult. Bruce examines the body very carefully, running hundreds of tests (or at least that's the way it felt to Terry) to be sure that he wouldn't be endangering Max's already fading life. His eyes shift nervously every now and then to the heart monitors to evaluate her worsening condition. Terry had brought her to the cave barely in the nick of time. Perhaps a few minutes longer and she would've died on the way. Bruce shakes his head. Terry was a wild enough driver as it was, but the way he pushed the Batcar this time exceeded the possibility of human and mechanical capability. However, warning him to watch the paint job wouldn't have been very…appropriate given the circumstances. But right now, there was something else that was starting to irk Wayne. "Don't you have something better to do?" Bruce asks with brief annoyance as he looks at the computer screen, contemplating. His apprentice was still hovering over Max's comatose body protectively. He stared at the girl as if she was dying…Bruce re-arranges his thoughts: she _was_ dying. Yet having McGinnis there did nothing but make the old man nervous and edgy.

Terry takes his eyes off of Max long enough to ask the obvious question that he already knew the answer to, "Like what?" The boy was suited up and ready to go, he just wouldn't leave!

"Oh, I don't know," Bruce states with heavy sarcasm, "maybe your job! Protect Gotham from any other psychopaths that wish to lay waste to the city."

Terry shifts his stare back to Max lying there on the table, bandages wrapped around her body to stop the blood flow. Thankfully Wayne was able to remove both bullets but Maxine wasn't improving. Twice her heart stopped beating and Terry was afraid to leave her side. McGinnis runs the back of his hand across her cheek and replies icily at the old man, "Gotham can wait."

"I've had enough!" Bruce declares, slamming his fist down angrily on the keyboard. He faces the young Batman and exclaims, "I'm worried about her too, but I can't get a damned thing done with you here! If Max were awake she'd kick your ass for abandoning your duty. And if you keep pushing me McGinnis, I'll do it for her." He adds while facing back at the computer, "You've done your job, and it's still not over; now let me do mine." Terry huffs out in frustration and walks towards the Batcar. "Take Ace with you," Bruce states. "I can't concentrate with his whining." From the first moment Terry had brought Max in, Ace had become uneasy. He paced a lot and stayed by Max's side every chance he could get. The Dane didn't seem at all bothered by the cat DNA. He could sense that Max was leaving this world and he, needless to say, didn't like it. Terry nods in understanding and grabs a hold of Ace, having to pick the dog up and carry him to the vehicle. Ace whines out in protest; his cries eventually dying away as the Batcar pulls out and leaves. Bruce sighs and turns back to his work.

At the Gotham Police Station the officers peer around their desks towards their boss's office. The door was closed and the blinds drawn, but that didn't keep out the yelling. Barbara Gordon folds her arms and stares angrily at the D.A. – her husband. Sam Young stares out the window and closes his eyes in frustration. They weren't husband and wife right now – not by a long shot. "Let me get this straight: you let an overly spliced teen dying from gunshot wounds get taken away by a vigilante just because the guy says you can't help the girl?" He throws his hands up in exasperation. "Honestly Barbara, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about saving the girl's life," Barbara answers hotly.

"And then you made a deal with the vigilante! Do you know what this can do to Gotham, to you, if that girl isn't found alive?"

"For Pete's sake, Sam," Barbara yells, "shouldn't you have a little faith?"

"A little faith in a guy who parades around Gotham in a suit? NO!"

Barbara points an accusing finger at her husband. "That guy saved your life and the lives of the people of Gotham more than once! Batman is a protector of this city. No, I may not like the fact that he's always sticking his nose in police business but I owe him the lives of my men, my city, and my husband…" a short pause fills the office and the station outside the door as the police listen in. Commissioner Gordon leans back against her desk and asks with a stern gentleness, "Wouldn't you have some faith in him as well?"

Sam sighs and runs his hand across his bald head. He hated being at odds with her. Plus, she had a good point. Sam finally points his finger at her and states seriously, "24 hours Barbara. If I don't see or hear from the girl or Batman, I'm issuing a man hunt for them both. Is that clear?"

"Crystal."

He prepares to leave out the door when he pauses. "Oh, and Barbara? Try to make it home at a decent time: we have dinner guests." He winks.

Gordon smiles softly and says, ''If it means being with you sooner, I'll be there." He blows her a kiss and leaves, shooting a smile at the appalled officers. They would never get used to the relationship the Commissioner and D.A. had. In terms of work and business they were meant to be enemies, couldn't get along for anything. D.A. was usually a bad thing for officers, chief's, and commissioner's, since they usually had the most say…and usually discouraged certain police activity that would probably do some good. To most D.A.'s, Commissioner's were nuisances, always spreading their ideas of what should be done since they knew the streets the best. Officers were meant to protect and serve…those higher than them in rank…or at least that's the way things had seemed to run in Gotham lately. Yet in terms of their marriage, the two couldn't be happier. They were a power couple, a force to be reckoned with. True love and business didn't keep the same company with these two.

Meanwhile it was all over the news: the story about the game reserve. The citizens of Gotham were slightly appalled at the information they received concerning the particular crime. They'd seen crazy stuff before (this was Gotham after all) but even this seemed out of the ordinary, if "ordinary" could be used. Families of missing individuals watch the news hoping that their loved one was amongst the spliced victims…the live ones, at least. And thanks to some dirty business, video and images from the reserve's security cameras had been leaked out and was being aired all across Gotham's news stations. Police had no clue as to how the material got leaked but that was something that had to be placed on the back burner for now. They still had to attempt in identifying and locating the Jokerz and hunters who got away; the kids they had captive wouldn't "squeal" on their fellow gang members and customers which made the task all the more laborious, and officers had to cure and reunite the splicees with their families. Plus there was still the search for Maxine Gibson. Viewers shuttered and became intrigued when they saw her spliced state. Students of Hill High stayed glued to the television screen, hoping to hear news of Max. Never could the teens have imagined the perils that Max had been enduring for the past two and a half weeks. Concerned and feeling obligated to find and help her, many of the students rallied together and began their own search headed, surprisingly, by Nelson Nash and Max's two best friends (the "Threesome" as some students called the three BFF's) Chelsea Cunningham and Dana Tan. Posters of Max in her human and Black Panther form found themselves on every light post, building, bench, and everything else within Gotham. The kids separated, searching certain areas of the city by car, bike, or walking; some even assisting the police at headquarters. Sadly, there was no new information that night, and after 6 ½ hours of searching, the students had to return back home for school in the morning.

"Dana!" an all too familiar voice calls in the hallway. Dana stops walking and spots Chelsea jogging towards her.

"Hi Chels," Dana responds sweetly with a yawn. She was still worn out from the patrol last night and early this morning. She didn't crash until at least a quarter to four in the morning.

Chelsea runs her fingers through her blonde hair and rubs at the circles under her eyes. She had the exact same night as Dana, considering she wound up spending the night over Tan's place. "Have you seen Terry? I so need to copy his Cryogenics homework."

Dana shrugs and leans back against the wall, placing one boot against it for grip. "Haven't seen him since we first got the news about Max. His mom says he's out all night looking for her."

Chelsea bites her lips and crosses her arms in front of her stomach. "He really cares about her. I hope he's okay." She pauses and whispers, "Are you okay?"

Dana smiles, causing her best friend to do so as well. They both knew the answer to that. "Never been better about the break-up thing. If I had to choose somebody, it definitely would've been Max. I don't hate her for it; I love her, just like I love you. We're best friends. True friends and true love is hard to come by, you know?"

Chelsea throws an arm around Dana's shoulder and says, "Got that right girl! You, me, and Max: we're ride or die forever. It's beyond shway how much we love one another…" Chelsea gives Dana a kiss on the cheek and squeezes her tight. It was a great hug, but it wasn't the same without Max being there…she needed to be there.

Dana chuckles, sensing what Chelsea was thinking, "Love you too, Chels." The two girls start to walk to class when the Principal's voice resounds on the intercom: "Attention all students. I have great news. The hard work of you and Gotham P.D. has not been in vain. I'd like to say how proud of you all I am. I have just received word from Commissioner Gordon that Maxine Gibson has been found alive and well!" Dana and Chelsea gasp and embrace one another, jumping up and down and squealing in delight as other students in the hall way cheer and leap for joy; the sound of sheer happiness reverberates throughout the entire building.

The Principal continues, "Now, I know you all are excited and eager to see Max as soon as possible, however, she won't really be taking that many visitors; at least not at her current location. She was found this morning in Wayne Manor by her, so to say, father Bruce Wayne. Apparently Batman dropped the girl off in one of the bedrooms." The excitement dims a little. Wayne Manor? Oh man, they would never get to see Max while she was there. "There is a possibility that a few of you might be called later on in the afternoon to go visit Max at Wayne Manor, but until then, since the reporters have been driving Mr. Wayne crazy, we insist you wait until summoned. But should Max leave her current position to go home or more likely to a hospital, you can stay tuned into the news. They will remain updated on her condition. Thank you very much."

Nash runs out of his class and spies Dana and Chelsea. He dashes to them, and scoops both girls up into his arms, swinging them around as they giggle and scream in glee. "Did ya hear that?" Nelson asks with excitement. "They found our girl! Slaggit! I wish we could see her."

Chelsea giggles, "Forget it Nelson. I may be crazy, but I'm not suicidal."

"Yeah," Dana adds. "You know what they say about that place."

Nelson puts both girls down and leans down towards them, cupping a hand over his mouth and whispering, "Peg it: what do you say we sneak out and celebrate Max's return? Go to the mall; grab a bite to eat…" He raises his eyebrows. This would be the perfect excuse to ditch school. Just tell the Principal, "After all the hard work Dana, Chelsea, and I put together in trying to find Max for nearly seven hours, we were just so excited to hear our good friend was alive and well, we just couldn't focus on school work! We had to go out and rejoice!" Oh yeah, that would work quite nicely.

Chelsea and Dana look at each other, as if reading one another's mind to decide what to do. They had always been pretty tight with Nelson, even when he and Terry couldn't stand each other. It was hard to say no to him, not just because he was a joy to look at, but because deep down underneath the bad boy exterior and attitude and playboy behavior he was a pretty shway guy: nice, funny, totally relaxing and natural to be around. Then again, maybe that was just the way he acted around Chelsea, Max and Dana. Despite thinking they were total hotties, Nelson saw these chicks as close friends and doing something to hurt them was out of the question. They were the special ones, the ones that all the other chicks at Hill High loathed because of the complete natural and friendly relationship he shared with them, rather than the typical "Oh, she's hot. I'm gonna hit and quit it mindset." The girls smile. Dana rolls her eyes and places her hand on her forehead wearily as Chelsea faces Nelson with a wide grin and eyes narrowed mischievously. "Black it," Chelsea states with a nonchalant tone about ditching. "What's to lose?" Nelson whips his hand quickly in his coat pocket and pulls out his keys, jingling them with a smug smirk on his face. He grabs Chelsea by the hand, who in turn grabs Dana's hand, pulling them towards the parking lot just as his teacher pokes his head out the door and hollers for them to stop.

It was dark. Nothing but black emptiness and pain surrounded her. Her body floated endlessly it seemed in the darkness of the void. She pulls her body in together in the fetal position, trying to offer some form of comfort as she slips into the shadowy grave. Alone. Again. Perhaps this was better, death that is. She couldn't be a bother to anyone anymore, and all the pain from her life wouldn't hurt anymore…right?

A sound rustles softly towards the girl then. Max raises her head in question, attempting to decipher what it is. Voices? But there is no one there. The voices are low and soft at first, and then occasionally peak in intensity and anger only to subside once more. Something was licking her hand, something caressing her face. Max narrows her eyes and looks at her hand, or rather paw. She wished they would stop. She wished Terry and Bruce would just give up on her. "_I've always been a loner,_" she thinks. "_I've always been weak…too weak to live. This is better: to just fade away in emptiness. The world doesn't understand me, so I've hid from them like a child. This way I won't be a burden."_

But just as quickly as the thought arises, another voice growls out in anger inside of her mind. **"**_**You idiot! You can't give up so willingly! Not anymore. You are the panther, we fight to survive! Death is not an option."**_

"_What's the purpose?"_ Max returns wearily. _"I don't won't the world to see me."_

"_**You cannot do this. It is good to be different, the untamable, incomprehensible one. Don't you get it? It's not about who you are, it's what you do! For so long you have done what others have wanted…don't you know what you want to do?"**_

"_No. I don't even know who I am."_

The other voice grows softer and gentler. _**"Don't you think it's time to find out?" **_

Max bites her lip and ponders for a moment. The voice was right. For so long it was what others desired of her. The beast inside of her claws at her mind. Freedom! She wanted…to know happiness, and desire, and love…She wanted to see her friends, to be with Terry! Max wanted to live! _"Who are you?"_

"_**What a strange question. I am you: the panther. If you want to survive, fight Max. Fight!"**_

In that moment, there is a sharp pinch in Max's arm. She isn't sure what it is and feels nothing at first. And then, it builds within her, the fire. It gets hotter and hotter, turning her insides into a living breathing furnace. Max's body quivers and shakes violently in the void. Her heart accelerates greatly pounding through her chest with great force. Max can feel her body changing and altering from its current form to something else. Whatever was taking place wasn't turning her human; that much the young teen was certain of. There was no way turning normal could hurt like this! The beast within her screams and cries out at the pain. Max's teeth grit tightly together. What was happening? What did they do? The trembles grow stronger and harder and her skin feels as if it is being sanded, no, sliced away and her entire body being stabbed over and over again with knives. She was going to die if she kept going through this. It would either heal or destroy her. But Max couldn't die! The girl had made up her mind that life was the only option left. Yet the pain is too great, and eventually she drifts off from the world, the anguish subsiding as she prepares to leave the wretched life…

"Mmmm…" her eyelids flutter open slowly, quickly closing at the sudden brightness that was surrounding the room. Yet after a few moments they open once again, this time adapting to the rays much easier. Something was covering her body, completely engulfed around her. The casket. She must have died and she was being buried. Her mind races then at that thought. No. That could not be the answer. If she was in a casket why was there a bright light? Her eyes slowly pan the room and discover sheets and blankets and a comforter resting comfortably on top of her. A bedroom? She was in a bedroom. There is a sudden swift movement beneath the covers to the right and it becomes apparent that she was not in the bed alone. Her head tilts and Max's heart speeds rapidly at the sight before her. She smiles gently at the figure laying there. "Terry?" her voice whispers.

McGinnis opens his eyes hesitantly, wondering who was waking him up. Then he gasps. "Max? MAX!" He jerks his hand up from under the cover and cups it to her cheek, delicately placing his forehead against hers and laughing in a barely audible whisper, saying her name over and over again. From the tone of his voice it was obvious how relieved the young Batman was to see Max awake.

"Terry? What happened? Is Haha-? Where's Lionel?" She tries to sit up, but the room begins to swirl in a hazy circle.

Terry clutches her shoulders and gently pushes her back into the bed. He sits up and leans back against the headboard. "Shh, Max. It's okay. Everything's alright now." He caresses her cheek.

Max looks him in the eyes and raises her hand and runs her fingers through his black hair. "I'm not dead, am I? You feel so real."

A pained expression suddenly flames across Terry's face. He leans down towards Max slowly and whispers, "No. You're not dead." His lips touch Max's and he clings on to her tight; perhaps tighter than he should have. Max becomes alarmed by his sudden change in countenance and forcefully pulls herself out of his grasp.

"Terry, stop it," she murmurs. "What's wrong?"

The vigilante tears his face from hers and begins to pull the covers back so as to exit the bed. "You…don't want me anymore," he concludes. "After what I put you through, it's understandable." It was his fault in the first place that she was in her current state right now. It was painful to watch the girl he loved lying there on that table dying. He had built his mind up, wrapping it around the possibility that Max may not want him anymore for this. If he had not crushed her feelings that first night causing her to leave into the dark, she would have been ok. Perhaps they would have lost their relationship, it being completely shattered by the sense of betrayal. And despite the realization that she might have walked out of his life forever, Terry would have rather lost Max by her walking away knowing that she was alive and well than having her in his life and wind up dead because he could not protect her. Both sufferings were heart wrenching but the former was much more durable. Bruce had said that sometimes you have to make sacrifices and push people away from you to keep them safe…even if that included the one you loved the most in the entire world. That was the curse of being Batman: to protect the city and be admired by its inhabitants, yet to be hated and lose the ones you cared about. And in being Batman and taking the responsibility whole heartedly meant consequences for Terry. He may have failed in pushing her away, but he could not stop Max from leaving _him_. Part of the boy wished she would despise him and want nothing more to do with her best friend; but the other part, the stronger part, wished to resist that event with all its power. McGinnis leans away from Gibson and swings his legs over the side of the bed. Max furrows her brows in confusion. "Terry? What are you-?" He begins to lift himself off the edge.

"Ter? Don't," her voice whispers. "Stop." His body stands tall and foot begins to take the first step forward when there is a sudden tug on the back of his shirt. Max throws her body forward, outstretches her arm, and clasps unto the fabric tightly. Terry stops, suddenly aware of a trembling sensation. Max's hand quivers violently and she asks, "Why are you leaving? I thought…you loved me." This made no sense. He just kissed her and now wanted to leave! Why was that?

"I do," Terry groans out wearily. "That's why I need to go. I don't want to hurt you anymore."

Max shakes her head fervently. "You're wrong McGinnis. Don't you get it yet? If you leave then you'll be hurting me worse than ever before." She pauses and her grip slackens. Max had realized something in her time of walking the earth: she couldn't make anyone stay. She couldn't convince anyone to love or want her. This was her curse. Max _wanted_ people to stay at a distance, it was always much better for them and herself. The emotion she felt that first night when he broke her heart reignites suddenly in her chest. Maybe this was all a game. Maybe he was confused but didn't really want her like that. Perhaps she had gotten frail in her mind; the once wall she had built up to protect herself was now crumbling. She would have to rebuild it again. Yet the only way to do that would be if he simply made up his mind and left her alone. Max whispers, more so to herself than him, "But, if you want to leave me; if you want to hurt me, then go. I'm too weak to stop you." Terry wheels and faces his best friend with an angry expression.

"Selfish as always!" Terry grabs her hand and yanks it from his shirt. "You think you're the only one who would hurt if I left!"

Ok. Now this was starting to piss her off. He made it seem like she was invincible and a heartless, emotionless, droid! Max screams loudly, "You bastard! Don't think that I can just heal from something like that. We're all connected together. If I'm selfish for loving you and wanting you to love me then fine! I'm the most selfish dreg there is who's got a fucked up mind and blood on her hands…" Max buries her face into the covers and weeps. Terry stares down at her silently for a moment, slightly bewildered. He thought she would want to see him leave. That's what most women wanted when it came to dealing with Batman according to Bruce. Yet it is as he remembers the tough and harsh words she had just spewed at him despite her current weak condition it becomes apparent to Terry that she isn't like most women and never would be. Max knew pain and abandonment and at some point had expected for those things to occur in the relationship she and Terry shared. But as time passed and feelings developed Gibson soon discovered that she really _didn't_ want that to take place. She _needed_ Terry to stay, and the realization that the boy could finally walk out of her life forever was overwhelmingly destructive on her mind and heart. Rather than being uncaring with the prospect she rejected it completely…and that was difficult, confusing, and terrifying for her.

Terry yanks back the covers and crawls back into the bed, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I went too far again."

The tone in his voice reveals that he had no intention of exiting from her life and Gibson calms, feeling more comfortable and relieved. Out of all the dangerous and frightening situations she had been tossed in, the chance of her best friend and possibly one true love leaving her had to be the worse of them all. Max sniffles. "It's shway." She blushes as she adds, "Just don't talk about leaving again…it would be better if you just walked off without telling me."

Terry laughs. "Nope. Don't think that's gonna be possible….ever." He starts to tickle Max's sides playfully causing her to toss, trying to wriggle away from his fingers. It was strange how quickly things had settled between them. Max places her hand on Terry's chest and pauses at two things: 1. There was some kind of weird feeling under his shirt and 2. Her nails were long…Max never let her nails grow past the tips of her fingers and yet they were so much further out. Terry notices her sudden stiffness.

"Terry?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong under there?"

"Ah…" he pulls the shirt over his head, revealing a three long gashes traveling across his chest. Max takes a deep gasp and feels her stomach lurch. "When you went…wild, you gave me quite a nip."

"Nip," Max moans out. "Terry, I scarred you. I'm sorry. I feel horrible." She traces the lines with her fingers, admiring the detail of the claw marks…and Terry's physique.

"It soars. Makes me look tougher. 'Sides, you were upset about the kid. But there's something else."

"Yeah. My nails?"

Terry takes a deep breath. "Yeah. There were some complications with your curing."

"Such as," Max bides.

Terry bites his lip. But when he looks at Max, her expression erases all hesitation. She needed the truth…the whole truth. "Well, you know how your spliced DNA was too potent. This made curing you impossible…well, nearly impossible. Bruce couldn't seem to make the right chemical sequence to heal you in time. When you had died-"

"Died?" Max asks quizzically.

"Yeah. You technically died three times last night from your injuries. Anyways, when you died again, you were so far gone Bruce had to hit you with _something_. It was the strongest dosage he had. He had come to the realization that there was no formula to totally regenerate your biological genetic coding."

Max tilts her head to the side and sits up. "So what you're saying is: I'm not human?"

"Not completely." Terry smiles at the remembrance of something, causing Max to raise her brows in question, forcing an explanation from him. "You still hold some of the Black Panther characteristics. For example," he motions at her fingers on his chest, picking her hand up and kissing it, "your nails are longer and stronger. Claws, I guess is the best way to put it. Bruce says you might also have a keen sense of hearing, sight, and smell." Max takes a sigh as he brushes his fingers against her ear. Max's lips part slightly and she lets out a sigh at the sensation that dances through her body. Terry leans in towards her face and kisses her neck, murmuring, "Your agility and cat like reflexes should be the same as when you were completely spliced as well. So you should be able to stay out of trouble for a while. It'll make my job easier," he smiles. "Plus you've got a set of fangs on your upper and lower jaw."

"Great," Max whispers smoothly, "people are gonna think I'm a vampire."

Terry chuckles softly, still kissing her neck, "Best damn vampire I've ever met."

Max's body shakes nervously. Just what the hell was he doing? "Anything else?"

"Your eyes." Terry lifts away from her neck and stares Max straight into the eyes peering, it seemed, into her very soul. He pauses, as if seeing something beautiful, and resumes with a low, mesmerized voice, "You have the most entrancing eyes. Honey brown. And when you get mad, they turn into slits."

"I'm gonna be the freakiest girl in Gotham."

"Freakiest?" Terry asks with humor.

Max takes a gulp and slides back out of Terry's grasp. She blushes and explains softly, "That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant," McGinnis states, surprised that she pulled away. The first night she was more than ready. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know about things like this…it's all new to me." Max blushes again, hoping that he could comprehend what she was saying.

Terry sits up and bites his lip. "Oh!" He then prepares to get out the bed again. "I'm making you uncomfortable. I'll leave. If you need anything I'll be in the living room. I'm sure Bruce wants to know how you're doing."

"No!" Max says a little more nervously than she wanted. "I don't want you to go."

"Max," Terry explains wearily, covering his face with his hand and hunching his back over, "I miss you and I love you and I wanna express that to you. I'm not that strong to resist wanting to make love to you…I…don't want any more harm to come to you Max. It's best if I leave."

Max lunges forward once again and grabs Terry, pulling him back into the bed, and throwing his body on top of her. She wraps her arms tight around his neck and clings to him for dear life. "It's ok. As long as it's you! My sister once said that if it's with the person you are destined to be with, there will be no hurting."

Terry, his hands planted on the bed under her arms, tries to lift himself up with no avail. She was stronger than she looked, thanks to the splicing. "Max…please don't…and what if it does hurt?"

Max stares deep into Terry's eyes and says firmly. "Fuck fate then. I want to be with you forever and ever." Max sees the straining in McGinnis's expression. He was battling the desire to love her and to leave. But Max was going to make his mind up for him. "I want you Terry. I love you with all I am, and I know it's the same for you. I want you to show me. As long as it's you, I'm happy." She kisses him slowly, urging him to express himself. Eventually Terry gives in, firmly grasps Max's body and kisses her as well. The kissing lasts for some time, followed by gentle touching. Terry's hand gently moves and up and down Max's side. She trembles in response and lets out a satisfied sigh. There was no words to describe what was happening in this moment.

Before long, they discard their clothes and nothing is left but the covers. Terry eyes Max carefully wanting to be sure that he wasn't hurting her. As the time progresses their bodies fit together perfectly, as if they had been carved out purposely just for one another, a matching pair. The sweat beads roll off of their bodies. Max closes her eyes and digs her nails deep into his back. Terry kisses her even more, murmuring how much he loved her. If anything this had to be the most perfect moment of their lives. Max feels no pain, not at all uncomfortable. All she feels is pleasure and happiness for the next hour and a half. This more than just sex; it was a union of Terry and Max's mind, body, and more importantly, soul. They were becoming one and nothing the world through at them could ever separate the two lovers. Destiny had taken full effect, taken complete hold of the present and future. This passion could never be destroyed even after death. If only this moment could last forever. But all good things must come to an end. When the great ecstasy of pleasure reverberates through them at the same moment, they cling tight to one another, breathing heavily.

Terry lies on his back, and Max positions herself slightly over his chest, laying her head there and listening to his heart beat. Terry mutters, "Wow. Nothing like it before."

"Perfect," Max agrees. She cuddles further into his arms.

Terry turns his head and stares at her. "I love you Maxine Gibson. 'Till the day I die and forever after that."

Max smiles and closes her eyes as a tear trickles down her cheek onto his skin. "Shway…I mean, I love you too Terry. I can feel you everywhere around me." She pauses, listening intently and mutters, "Oh shit."

"What?" Terry demands. "It was too soon for us to-your wounds aren't healed—oh man, I've messed up!"

Max shakes her head and says, "No, not that. Listen, feel this." She takes his palm and places it to her chest, and then positions her free hand and his other on Terry's chest. After a few moments of silence they smile.

"Our heartbeats—", Terry begins.

Max completes, "—they're the same."

The weekend was passed and Monday had finally come. None of the students had been invited into Wayne Manor to see their fellow student after the whole ordeal. They came to the conclusion that she was still not well, and it was best for her to be left alone. So no one was prepared to see Terry pull into the parking lot on his motorcycle with a female figure on his back. The teens stop and watch in absolute shock as Terry turns off the bike and swings one leg over. The female figure behind him fans her neck (the heatwave was still continuing on, and this had to be the longest one in Gotham history) and extends her arms for him. McGinnis chuckles and reaches down, grabbing the girl (getting a feel of her brown legs) and lifting her off the bike. At first he does not put her down. The girl shakes her head wearily and pulls off her helmet. "OH MY GOD! IT'S MAX!"

Chelsea rushes through the halls and spots Dana at her locker. "Dana! Come on!"

Dana shoots Cunningham a bewildered expression and asks, "Chels? What's up?"

Chelsea bounces up and down with excitement that is about to burst from her body. "She's back! She's HERE!"

Dana grabs Chelsea's arms and demands sternly, "Who? Who's here?"

But Chelsea's eyes shift to something behind Dana. She smiles softly as water begins to form and slide down her golden cheeks. "Max," she whispers. Dana turns as well and cups her hand over her mouth in absolute disbelief as she sees Max coming down the hall in her "heatwave" clothes (as she had called the burgundy shirt and tan shorts) with her arm linked with Terry's. Gibson makes eye contact with her girl best friends and breaks away from McGinnis, running down the hall towards them. She doesn't stop, nor does she slow her pace. Instead, Max crashes right into the open arms of Chelsea and Dana, causing the three girls to fall onto the hard floor. The sound that escapes from their throats is a mixture of laughter and tears. Many gathered students cheer in happiness at the reunion. Max pulls back from the girls and smiles wide. She says, "Chelsea. Dana. I've missed you guys so much." She pulls them back into her arms and purrs while rubbing her face against theirs. This gesture doesn't appear to bother the two BFF'S.

"Oh shit! It's my girl!" a loud voice booms over them. Nash reaches down and encompasses the girls into his strong arms and lifts them in the air, Max being closest to his face. Max giggles and touches her face with his, purring as well. Nelson puts them down and asks, "Max. Did you just purr?"

Max dusts the dirt from the floor off of her shorts and smiles, "Yes."

Just then, Nash, Chelsea and Dana lean forward towards Max and look at a peculiar sight. Dana exclaims, "Whoa…"

Chelsea admires, "Slammin' eyes Max. They're so light, and kinda look slitty."

Nelson inquires, "Are you vampire now Max? Your fangs are way shway." He then perks back up and says, "Well, it doesn't matter what you are, 'cause you're back, and you're mine."

A voice disputes, "I don't think so Nelson." Terry walks past the group and wraps his arm around Max's waist, pulling her into his side. They stare romantically at one another as he declares, "She belongs to me. And I'm not sharing." Max shifts from his gaze and blushes. After that morning a couple of days ago she and Terry have been pretty much inseparable. He called his mom and told her that he would be staying the weekend to take care of her; and he did just that. Having him around really relieved a lot of worries and fears she had been having about what she would be doing now. They only got into one argument during her time away and that was over the usual thing: helping Batman. Max figured that with her new "powers" she could somehow be of some help to Batman. She had acute senses and strength, agility and speed; there had to be something she could do on the battlefield. But Terry wouldn't have it. Even Bruce refused to hear such an idea. And that ticked her off. How dare they decide what she could and couldn't do. "If anything, I'm the master of my own mind and body!" she had growled fiercely at Terry in the kitchen. "Or did sleeping with you give you 'official' rights over my individuality? You always thought you could tell me what to do; don't tell me that since you've got some you think it's now an entitlement?"

Terry slammed his fist hard on the countertop and yelled angrily, "All I've ever said and done was to keep you safe!"

Max's pupils shifted into slits revealing her frustration and countered, "I never asked for your help! People scream for Batman all the time, but I never have!" The corner of Terry's mouth twitched and Max lowered her eyes. "Look at me," she inquired softer while holding herself protectively. "Not an animal, but I'm not human either. I don't fit in with society anymore. I'll always be seen as the freaky cat girl. But with great power comes great responsibility, right? I have the power Terry; I just need to find out what to do with it."

Terry sighed and turned, leaning his back against the counter and folded his arms. He could understand what she was trying to say and do but he would not put her in harm's way again. He almost lost Max once, there wasn't going to be a second time. "You can keep yourself alive."

Max had cautiously walked around the counter and stood in front of him, her heart dropping as his gaze went away from her. She didn't want to fight, especially not after all they had been through, but she couldn't help but feel that this was something that had to be dealt with. She was not going to change her stand on this and apparently neither was Terry. "That's not fair," she murmurs. "I know you're scaed but you've got to have some faith in me, please?"

"The answer is no, Max."

"Ter, look at me," she whispers quietly. But when she saw him tense his jaw and shut his eyes closed her anger reignited. She yells, throwing a hand to the side of her face and clutching some pink hair, "Look at me!"

McGinnis's head shot back towards her and he propelled himself off the counter edge and hollered in response, "I AM!" He grabbed Max by the shoulders and said, "I'm looking at the girl I love. I don't want to be staring at her in a casket next time. I said no and that's the end of it."

"No, it's not the end of it!" Max disputes with a fierce growl as he voice yells louder. "Damnit Terry, you can't do this. I don't need your fucking permission!"

That really made things nasty between them. Terry had stormed out the house, but not after demanding, "You might as well take that thought out of your head Max. Because as long as I'm around you can forget it. I'll stop you with my own two hands if I have to."

Max had yelled in response, throwing a pan at the door as he walked out, "Then you're either going to NOT be around, or try to stop me. I'll fight you any day! And we'll see who wins!" And then the front door slammed and Max heard the bike peel out the drive. She had collapsed onto the wall and cried her heart out.

However, on the plus side, she got to see Lionel that Saturday evening and all stress and anger over she and Terry's dispute quickly melted away. The joy she had felt when she saw him standing there on the porch with his father by the little boy's side made Maxine anxious. When the door opened and Lionel had spied out Max in the hall he bolted inside and leapt straight into her arms and cuddled against her. From his scent it was apparent that the little cub had been completely cured of his splicing incident, but it didn't bother Max; not at all. He spent the night, the final night he would ever see his adopted mother. His father was a little apprehensive at first but not even he wanted to dishearten Lionel and he was eternally grateful for keeping his son safe. The man had commented if only Max had been there when his now deceased wife had been taken…maybe they both would be alive. Without another word, he left the house, promising to pick up Lionel first chance he got in the morning.

The little boy never left Max's side. When she sat, he would always prop himself up on her lap. And when it was time for bed, he crawled under the covers and lay facing Max. "I'll miss you mommy," he had said.

Max brushed a strand of golden hair from his pale face. "I know," she had returned. "I'll miss you too. But you know what?"

"What?" Lionel asked, snuggling closer to Max.

Max wrapped her arms around him and pulled Lionel closer into her chest. "I will always be with you. Right here," she pointed to his heart. "We're bonded together now."

Lionel yawned heavily and asked, his eyes growing heavy despite his attempts to stay awake, "You'll never forget me, right? Even if we never see each other again?"

Max kissed his cheek. "Oh never ever ever! That's a promise. On my life as your friend, guardian, mother, and on my panther blood…I could never forget."

"I love you mother."

Max whispered, caressing her face against his slowly, "I love you too…son." She became aware of someone moving in the room. It was Terry. He came to the edge of the bed and kissed the side of her forehead murmuring something in her ear. Max smiled and repeated, "I love you too…" Lionel fell into a deep sleep.

The group laughs and walks down the hall. By the end of the day, they prepare to go their separate ways, promising to meet up again at their favorite pizza joint. The ride from school to Max's apartment passes rather quickly and before long she and Terry are standing outside the door. Terry, standing behind her, wraps his arms around her waist and pulls Max back against his chest. He leans his head over and kisses the side of her forehead as she giggles and sighs. "Anybody who says we're too young to be this serious can get a Bataraang up their ass! Fate has spoken right? We're destined to be together," he muses, still surprised that Max hadn't felt any pain that night and completely overwhelmed that their heartbeats were _exactly_ the same! How was that possible? But he shakes head: he wouldn't worry about it. He was happy and in love and that's all that mattered.

Max smiles, then the corners of her mouth turn down slightly. No, she whispers to her heart, don't even say it. But her heart betrays her mind and Max states quietly as she prepares to put the key in, "Or a claw."

Terry lets out a weary sigh and his arms drop from around her waist. From the tone she used he could tell what Max meant by that statement. Things had just patched up between them from that last fight, and he didn't want to go through that again; not the guilt and hurt he felt, and especially not what his love had felt. Terry begins in a cautious annoyance, "Max…" Just then Max freezes and sniffs. Terry places a hand on her shoulder, "What is it? Are you okay? Max?"

Max seems to lose all awareness. She responds emptily, "There's someone in my apartment." The scent was familiar in a faded and lost kind of way, and yet it made her body tense in a building frustration.

Terry starts to pull her back. "Hang on. I'll check it out. You-."

"No!" Max demands. Terry shoots her a puzzled look. "It's…my family."

"What?" Terry is taken back. Max rests her hand on the doorknob and pushes it open slowly, her body visibly tensing and eyes turning into slits in a sudden heat of anger. A barely audible growl rumbles in her throat and Terry stands ready. She didn't like her family from the sense of abandonment and hate that she felt concerning them, and the knowledge that they all might be in the apartment caused Terry to realize that things were going to get pretty ugly. The door opens…

_TO BE CONTINUED…_


	5. Chapter 5

_Ok, here's chapter five: wow this has to be the quickest update in my fanfiction history so far! ^o^ Anyways, sorry if the story jumps around alot. I've been doing pretty good with my writing for this story so far but I'm afraid that writer's block has begun to rear it's ugly head! I suppose it's good this got updated soon because the chances are this writer's block could last as short as a few days or as long as a few months! T.T I have another author's note at the very end, but PLEASE don't read it until you've finished this chapter! Whelp! Here you go, ENJOY!_

The three brown faces turn as the front door opens. Their eyes stare in a nonchalant gaze at Max, but light up with confusion at the young man behind her. Max's mother, who was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, doesn't even bother to get up when she asks, "Maxine, are you alright? We heard and saw what happened to you all over the news. We were so worried," she adds in a tone that contradicted that last statement. Her father was looking out the window and frowned at Terry.

Max's sister leans against the arm of the couch beside their mother and runs her fingers through her shoulder length jet black hair. "Yeah girl," she puts in grimly. "The house was a mess! I guess I can let you off the hook since you were kidnapped and all." She smirks dryly. Their father comes from the window and places a loving hand on his oldest daughter's shoulder and explains sweetly, "Don't you worry about it honey. You can't watch over her all day. Someone has to make the money."

Max frowns. Terry shrugs off his backpack and places it near the door. He can't help but notice how divided they were. Most families would be greeting each other warmly after such a terrible incident. But these guys were acting as if they didn't really care. McGinnis remembers what Max had said that night when they fought: all her family wanted was for her to become some rich scientist or something so they could live off of her. That was so wrong; wrong beyond words. The mother, sister, and father stayed on the side of the room with the couch while Max remained by the door. And from the looks of it no one was going to approach one another. A tense silence overcomes the apartment for a brief moment until finally Max asks the question. "What are you doing here?" she asks with a confused annoyance.

Mom responds with innocence, "Now, Maxine what do you mean? We wanted to make sure you're ok."

Max folds her arms and counters huskily, "Well I'm fine. You can leave now!"

Her father balls his fist and takes a step forward. "Don't you talk to your mother like that! She said we were worried about you. So stop being an ungrateful dreg."

Max yells angrily, "To say it and mean it are two completely different things! Besides," she tilts her head to the left and mutters, "I wasn't talking to you."

"What did you say to me?"

Terry immediately positions himself in front of Max and her father as he storms towards his daughter, holding out a hand and placing it on the dad's chest, attempting to keep him back. He winces slightly at a pain digging into his arms. When McGinnis looks back behind him he is appalled at Max's countenance. Both of her hands are clinging tight into his arms as she tries to hide herself behind him, sheer terror burning in her eyes. Never had Terry seen Max afraid of anything or anybody and yet she was stricken with fear at her father as he approached. What the hell kind of things did he do to her? Terry refocuses his attention on the father who slaps his hand away. "That's far enough Mr. Gibson."

Mr. Gibson narrows his eyes, grabs a fistful of Terry's shirt and pulls him towards his face. He was a tall and well built man, all muscle with no compassion. "And just who the hell are you: her bodyguard? Out of the way dreg, she's my daughter and I'll do what I want with her."

Terry lifts his lips into a devious crooked smile. "Well Mr. Gibson," he states matter-of-factly, "not as long as I'm around you won't."

Mrs. Gibson then rises from the couch and coaxes, "Now, now. You boys settle down why don't you? We're not here to cause trouble, just see Max."

Her eldest daughter flips her hair and pivots. "Humph! Easier said than done mom! It's obvious that Max just wants to spend time with that guy."

Max lifts her head from behind Terry and asks, her confidence returning, "What are you implying?"

"I thought you were smart Maxine. I don't it's appropriate to bring guys to the house when I'm away so you can have your fun."

Mr. Gibson snorts and stares at Terry with wicked compassion, "Poor fellow. You could do so much better."

Max's body trembles with anger. She opens her mouth and lets out a fierce roar ending with a hiss. Her family pauses, unable to comprehend what was going on. "Fuck ALL OF YOU!" Max growls hatefully. It is then that they notice her appearance. In a way she was still the girl that they had regrettably raised, and yet she wasn't human. Her honey brown eyes in slits burning with rage, her nails long and sharp, the fangs in her mouth being bore at them with aggression…she wasn't human!

Max's mother gasps and places a hand to her mouth. "Maxine! You're not the panther from before, but you're not a person either! Why didn't you get cured?"

"There is no CURE!" Max yells in the process of swinging her hand around behind her and managing to slice the wall, the claw marks plainly visible there. "At least not for me there isn't one." She grimaces as her sister shakes her head. Her father drops Terry and takes an aggressive motion towards Max who backs up against the kitchen counter in a slight fear. This was the one man on the world who she felt simply powerless with. He was her worst nightmare! For whatever reason he resented Max, and for whatever reason he felt the need to hurt her as the only solution to any problem. And Max could see this so well, which was the main reason for the young teen to be afraid. How could she not fear someone who thought that the agony she was inflicted was pleasure?

"You brat! You've ruined everything! You are worthless, pathetic. I should have made your mother get rid of you when we had the chance! You are what drove us away from each other!"

Mrs. Gibson slowly nods her head in agreement and Terry is completely dumbfounded. Just what was wrong with these people? How could they so blatantly say such a thing to their own child? Max's sister agrees also and sighs out loud as if she were bothered in being there. Now this set the trigger for Maxine. She faces her father and hisses. He backs slightly, only to be pulled forward once again as she clutches a firm hold of his shirt front and replies hotly, "Yeah, you should've gotten rid of me when you got the chance you filthy asshole! Just who the hell do you think you are? Living with you has been hell and high water for me so don't you dare try to blame me for your own weakness." She thrusts him from her grip.

He doesn't know what to do; neither can he believe that she would dare talk back to him. This time no one's words would stop him. Mr. Gibson grabs a knife from the kitchen and loosens his shirt. He hated Maxine, that much was obvious, and after all these years he wanted to end it. "C'mon!" he baits. "You're no daughter of mine anymore! C'mon!"

Max bares her fangs and lowers her stance into a crouching position, ready to spring when necessary. Ordinarily her conscience would be telling her to avoid this type of situation or to cower in fear until the danger was passed. But not this time: all of the hate and anger and sorrow she had built up for her family had reached its peak. If her father wanted to do this, then so be it! Max wanted it just as badly as he did, and that is what made the situation all the more dangerous. Terry yanks off his jacket and prepares to intercede; throwing aside the possibility that if he were accidently stabbed the young Batman could suffer from serious injury without the suit on. Mrs. Gibson and her eldest daughter back away towards the window, trying to calm the situation down. The adrenaline pulses through Max rapidly, causing her to lick her lips expectantly. Her father rushes forward with the knife extended for Max's stomach. But Max is too quick. She leaps high in the air, performing a half twist layout, causing her to fly directly over his head. Max's feet touch the ground and without a pause she leaps back towards his back and slices his back, wrapping her legs tight around his waist and clinging on. All the while her mother and sister are yelling for them to stop. The father, still reeling from the attack runs backwards and crashes into a wall. Max lets out a painful growl. In one swift movement she places her claws to the front of his throat and spreads her lips apart, revealing her hungry fangs. But before she can slice his throat and bite down a pair of hands grab hold of her back and yank her off. Max tumbles to the ground, regaining her footing by digging her nails deep into the carpeted floor.

She is confused as to who caught hold of her but it doesn't take her mind off of her prey, which was also focused on her. Max gets back up and approaches her dad quickly. Yet, once again before she can do anything she feels the force of a kick in her gut and this strange gesture knocks Max onto the floor once again, tumbling upon the carpet. She lifts her head and releases a menacing hiss, only to be taken back at the identity of her newest opponent. Terry McGinnis, her best friend, her one true love, stands before her father in a defensive position. His eyes reveal that the young Batman would not stand for this; that he would take the blunt of the blows and readily fight her if necessary. "Max, enough. You don't want to do this," he coaxes smoothly.

Max, on all fours arches her back and replies with a grimace, "You don't know what I want to do! Get out of the way Terry."

"No can do. You want him you're going to have to go through me first."

Max pulls her lips back over her teeth and growls unsettlingly. The fact that he would even try to protect that man was beyond her. Damn him for his sense of justice. Damn him for being Batman! Her mother and sister rush to her father's aid, making sure that he was not severely damaged. They turn hateful eyes upon Max then; stating with pure disgust that she was disowned from the family. Max rolls her eyes into her head and rises to full height. Terry relaxes slightly and frowns at the expression of torment that his girlfriend was wearing upon her face. Max places her hand on the doorknob and says to McGinnis, "I won't fight you love…not over this." Then to her gathered family in the background she states with assurance, "Fine. If you want me gone then I say goodbye. I hated this family anyway. From this day on, you won't have to worry about me anymore because we're done. Keep the apartment, I'm moving out." She yanks the doorknob open and rushes out from the room, Terry hot on her heels. When they leave the complex the two don't speak. Max is afraid that if she says something she might turn back and finish what her father started; Terry's afraid that if he should speak, it will only make the sting Max was feeling burn even more. He doesn't ask where she was going to stay.

Max narrows her eyes at the remembrance of the fight. Despite the enjoyment of the power surging through her body, pulsing through every fiber of her being like a drum, the spliced teen couldn't help but relish losing control like that. The desire to fight that Max had once had, had grown so much stronger and was now a mixture of self-preservation and worse, bloodlust. That would have to change and soon. She could not try to kill every person that upset her, no matter how greatly she actually wanted to. To desire and accomplish were complete opposites, yet the thing that made her so uneasy was that the line that separated the two was now blurred; too blurred to even comprehend. Without notice she could cross that line and do something that would regretfully change life as she knew it. And not only that, she had become so close to fighting Terry. She knew that at some point or another, a battle might ensue upon them (whether over something trivial or in relation to her want of fighting crime alongside him). There was no feasible way to avoid it and the chance that their relationship would be put into a dire test would be inevitable. McGinnis can sense this as well however does his best to evade such an event from ever occurring. True love might have bound them together for eternity, yet Max's current state and the fact that she could not really control it, and Terry's over protectiveness and often times harsh and demanding attitude were the things that could rip them apart. And should the two be broken apart destruction would follow into their lives.

They pass a playground and watch the children playing with one another happily while their parents watched with smiles. Max stops walking and stands directly at the entrance to the park, staring at the fun with mystified eyes. Terry remains behind her by the street. He adjusts the strap of his backpack and sticks his hands into the pockets of his brown jacket and observes her with a compassionate gaze. She had never really had a childhood like this. All she knew was work and sorrow. Terry had commented once when they were still friends and in an argument that she did nothing but play the victim all the time. But ever since this whole thing started Terry truly grasped that Max _was_ the victim even though she was doing everything in her power to be the tough girl – the hero. A smooth summer's breeze rushes across their skin cooling them down from the heat. A young boy runs to his parents, holding his little brother's hand, and gives them a hug. Max tilts her head and finds her eyes watering as she wraps her arms around herself. Is that what a family was? Happiness and love was possible? Max shakes her head and wheels around heading away from the direction. That was enough! Terry races after his girlfriend who was already halfway down the street. He hated seeing her like this. When the young vigilante finally catches up to her he grabs Max's arm and pulls her into his chest as she sobs quietly. "It's alright," he whispers. "You're going to be alright. I won't let anything hurt you ever again." Max bites her lip and thinks. She was tired of this: of being the frail little girl that needed protection. But she knows that saying something to Terry would only ruin the moment. After experiencing all the heartache and fights Max finally makes up her mind right there in the arms of the man who would do anything to stop her: she would protect the weak too, and she wouldn't get his permission.

As the days and weeks go by, life seems to return to normal. Since she left home Bruce quickly offered his "daughter" residence in his estate. He had said that he had more than enough rooms in the house and it would be nice to have someone else there despite his usual shying away from civilization. Max wasn't just a girl off the street; she knew everything about Bruce and the life he lived. If anything Max was family. Gibson was a bit overwhelmed when first moving into Wayne Manor, but as time passed she grew all the more comfortable there. She had no boundaries to where she could go, but Max tried to limit her endeavors around the mansion. Her room, the living and dining rooms, kitchen, workout and pool areas, and of course the Bat cave were her usual spots in the house. Terry grew to like this new adjustment. Max was back at the top of the class with her grades in school and she was hanging out with Chelsea and Dana a lot, not to mention having to keep Nelson in line with his flirting. This was when Terry began to suspect something. As he got back to protecting the streets of Gotham, he noticed that Max was always busy with something. He could barely call on her to help him with his own missions. But what really did it were the shopping trips she was having with Chelsea and Dana a lot lately. Max may have been a girl, and may have did some occasional shopping, but with those _two_? Chelsea and Dana's apparel wasn't quite Max's forte' and yet she went every chance that opened. Something definitely was not right there.

Max _was_ busy and she did have her reasons for going out with her girlfriends. She bought things: a dark grey one-piece bathing suit that came up in a turtleneck-like style, some clothe material of the same color, black gloves, and some other things she managed to keep hidden from Terry.

"Max."

The young girl opens her bedroom door and spies Bruce standing there with Terry. Both were dressed down in black tuxedos. Neither of them looked very pleased with the outfits and rather annoyed. "Yes Bruce? What's up?" She firmly holds the door.

"We have to go to a dinner party tonight. All of Gotham's wealthy public will be in attendance and I have to go as well." He sighs and rolls his eyes. "Terry's going to watch over me and the perimeter; you know, in case there's any trouble."

Max raises her eyebrow and asks with sudden interest, "Will there be trouble?"

Terry shrugs. "Probably not, but I'm hoping so. I'd rather be out kicking butt than sitting in a boring dinner."

Bruce sympathizes, "You're not alone. Anyways," he redirects to Max, "I want you to come with us. I might need some extra help should anything go wrong. Besides," he adds with a smile, "it's time I introduced you."

Max raises one of her eyebrows, "Introduce?"

Bruce turns and spies Ace sitting on the floor, his tail wagging and looking from Bruce to Terry to Max. "People have been wondering why I've taken you in. I told my associates that you've been working for me after hours and that you are a close friend who has left home. Because of certain problems with the government I had to take measures in ensuring your safety from those idiots who called themselves your family. Congratulations Max, I'm now your official guardian. I know it's nothing to rejoice over but-"

Max takes a deep gasp and bursts through the door into the hall, throwing her arms around Bruce and giving him a squeeze. She was his daughter! This thought overjoyed her because now she could have some idea of what a real family was; what love was. Plus being his daughter meant she would have access to the Bat cave more. Her plans just might work out after all. Bruce coughs and rubs Max's shoulder. "C'mon. Get dressed. There should be some old clothes in the closet and jewels in the drawers. If you're going to be mine then you have to look your very best." Max gives Bruce a quick kiss on the cheek and rushes back into the room. She closes the door and her gaze turns on something dark lying on her bed. She ponders quietly to herself and then picks it up off the bed.

Barbara Gordon smoothes out her black gown and takes a sip of her water. She may have been old but she looked good: her off the shoulder dress flowing smoothly to her ankles, revealing her suede pumps. The Commissioner leans against the wall and sighs. Sam waves to her from across the room and continues his chat with one of the circuit court judges about whatever D.A.'s talked about. She would kill him for leaving her there…then again, she wasn't much for talking about work with any business associates. They didn't have the same way of thinking as she or the police officers of this city did when it came to legal troubles. They cared more so about the financial losses not the lives loss. Barbara enjoyed a good party, but she would lose her temper in front of any of them within a second. Perhaps it was better that she was over here alone, but that still didn't prevent her for wanting to get her hands on Sam. She smiles as the tip of the glass touches her bottom lip. She would get her hands on him alright. "There's nothing to report Commissioner," a voice tells her. Barbara looks up to see three of her officers standing around her. They had been getting some threats on the gathering tonight so she wasted no time in getting her men and women spread out around the premises inside and out. "Good work boys," she praises. "Keep me posted if anything goes wrong. If you see a rat doing the Macarena I want to know." She frowns slightly, wishing she had brought her gun and kept it holstered to her thigh. Damn Sam for making her leave it at home. To the Commissioner, her gun was her best friend and trusty partner. Life just wasn't the same without it!

"Yes sir!" they declare giving a salute before heading off back to their posts. Barbara smiles and then looks around the room. She knew a lot of the people here, hell, some of them were even involved in dirty business themselves. She shutters at that thought. They should be rotting in a prison cell not chatting friendlily. But before she can envision them locked up she hears a sudden commotion coming from the front door, camera's flashing and new reporters talking excitedly to the station. "The rarely seen Bruce Wayne has just arrived and he isn't alone. With him is, I suppose, his personal bodyguard and a _lovely_ young woman! Mr. Wayne, can we get a word from you?"

Barbara adjusts herself off the wall and watches expectantly as Bruce breaks through the gathered crowd. He tells the cameraman, "It's great to be here tonight."

"And who's this lovely creature?" the man asks. Barbara can't see any other woman. She was probably still making her way through the guests.

Bruce says with a smirk, "My dearest friend, employee, and daughter: Maxine Gibson-Wayne." Barbara takes a deep breath. Maxine Gibson-_Wayne_? If she remembered correctly Max Gibson was Batman's friend: the one who got kidnapped, spliced, nearly died, and all of Gotham was searching for. The news reporter apparently also realizes this, for he nearly drops the microphone. Gordon shakes her head. There was no way that could be the same girl! "Good evening Barb," Bruce's voice says cordially.

"Hey Bruce," she responds. Then at the sound of gasps and murmurs she tilts her head and opens her eyes wide in absolute shock. Finally stepping through the crowd was McGinnis with a beautiful African American woman on his arm, both looking at each other as if they were the only two people in that entire room of 500 guests. As they approach closer it becomes apparent the girl's identity: sure enough it was Maxine Gibson and she was an eyesore! She wore a long form fitting cream dress with no straps and an open slit going down across the front diagonally, a silver broach holding the fabric together from falling open on both sides and revealing Max's chest, only giving visible clearance to slight cleavage and the brown skin of her upper torso. From there on the left side of the dress was a wide split that was hip high that let her long leg stand completely out in the open. The gown flowed down to the floor and a short train rested comfortably in the back. On her neck was a diamond encrusted choker necklace and on her feet were a pair of strapped heeled sandals. She looked like some kind of goddess and the men were practically falling over in lust. On any other woman such a gown would be found sleazy. Yet amazingly on Max, this young girl of approximately 17, the gown looked simply beautiful and perfect. Barbara takes a swallow and notes her husband standing by her side placing his arm through hers.

Sam Young asks curiously, "Barbara, who is this charming young woman? Do you know her? Good evening Bruce."

"Um, yes: Sam, this is Maxine Gibson – the girl who had been missing from the splicing games; the one Batman had."

Sam holds his hand out and shakes Max's warmly. "Ah! So this is the young lady? You look well now."

Max states with a smile, "Yep. Much better now, thank you."

Barbara turns her attention back to Bruce and states, "I don't think I heard correctly Bruce; this girl-?"

Bruce interrupts, "Is now under my guardianship, yes. She's a personal friend and I have great faith in her."

"Does she – you know – _work_ for you?"

"Not in the way Terry does, if that's what you meant. I don't expect for her to take up that job." Max shoots Bruce a look but does not contradict him, not here and now. But when they got home…Terry wraps his arm around Max's waist and gives a slight cough. Max shoots him a look as well and he grins. Bruce faces Max and says, "Maxine, Terry, come with me. I have to mingle," he adds with a grimace causing Barbara to chuckle to herself.

As the evening passes it becomes apparent that Max was adored by many of the business associates to Wayne Powers. Paxton even tried to make a move on her, coming behind and running his hand up her leg. Max gave him a fierce hiss and Terry pulled her away shooting Paxton the middle finger. Paxton merely smirked, enchanted that a woman had actually refused him. Now, he must try to get to the young woman! The hours pass on wearily and just when it seems like nothing was going to happen, there is an immediate explosion. The chandelier dangling from above the ballroom shivers at the quake and finally begins to grow loose. The gathered guests all cry out in surprise and fear. Terry immediately rushes to Bruce's side as Max steadies the old man. "What was _that_?" Terry asks.

Barbara pulls out her radio and yells in it, "What's going on out there? Hello! CAN YOU READ ME?" But the only answer she gets is static. Before long there is another explosion coming from behind the guests at the entrance. All eyes turn and out through the smoke steps none other than the maniac Mad Stan. Terry grits his teeth and slips away unnoticeably. Mad Stan presses another button and the ceiling bursts into flame before throwing the debris towards the ground blocking the main form of possible escape. Barbara murmurs to herself, "Honestly, not this again. Didn't he do this already?"

Max narrows her eyes and whispers into Bruce's ear, "I'll be back."

Bruce states, "What? Max!" But before he can even say another word she too disappears without being seeing.

Mad Stan, donning his usual apparel, yells, "Society is corrupt! And it's no thanks to you wealthy powers of Gotham city. You make bad trades with the government to keep money in your pockets while children are busy starving on the street! You put taxes on the stupidest thing just for the money! Since when do I need to pay taxes on purchasing illegal C4? Do you know what the solution is?" He raises his hands in the air and decrees joyfully, "BLOW IT UP!"

"Sorry, but you won't be blowing anything up," a voice says darkly from the back of the guests. They turn and cheer at the sight of Batman with his arms folded casually across his chest.

Mad Stan puts his hand down and declares, "If you're not with me, then you're against me!"

Batman smirks. "That's kind of the point." He charges Mad Stan and throws his Bataraang and knocking the detonator out of his hand and punching him in the face. Of course that doesn't really do much. The crowd starts to run towards the back exits when Mad Stan yells, "I wouldn't open those doors if I were you: I've got this whole building rigged. Anyone going in or out from this point will trigger the bombs. Matter of fact, go ahead and leave! It'll kill you all sooner!" Batman frowns and swings his fist punching Mad Stan over and over again. It was bad enough that the guy was psychotic, but did he have to be so strong too? Mad Stan firmly grabs Batman by his throat and squeezes, slamming the vigilante over and over again into the wall. Batman struggles to break out of the hold to no avail. Mad Stan tosses Batman to the ground and tosses a small hand grenade at him. Batman notices the explosive and moves out of the way as it explodes, but not before injuring him. Bruce's hand clutches tight to the handle of his cane and limps as fast as his legs will carry to Batman's side. He says to Mad Stan, "You've made your point. Society is wrong for doing all the pointless crap that we have."

Mad Stan laughs and exclaims, "You're right old man! And the only answer is to blow it all up! Nothing cleanses like fire." Batman groans out weakly and pushes Bruce back slightly. Mad Stan laughs again and kicks the Dark Knight with force that makes him cough out in pain. Something must be busted after that. Batman clutches his stomach tight and moans out. Stan is just about to kick again when a smooth voice from above speaks out, "I think that's enough, don't you?" Everyone in the building looks up and murmur amongst themselves at the figure that was hanging upside down on the ceiling, its fingers and feet digging into the clay. Barbara Gordon narrows her brows questionably.

Mad Stan calls to the figure, "Why don't you come on down here?"

"With pleasure." Its claws release and it falls from the top of the room, landing first on the chandelier, and then performing a back flip off of it. It – or rather she – lands smoothly on all fours directly to the side of Batman. Terry looks the girl over. She had the body that any model would kill for. She wore a form-fitting one piece (what appeared to be) bathing suit that reached up her neck and had long sleeves, dark grey in color, and a pure black diamond shaped symbol in the center of her full chest. Her full faced cowl (very similar in style to his own) was also the same dark grey with large cat-like ears and a black ribbon choker necklace clinging comfortably around her neck. On her hands her wrist length black gloves cut completely off across the knuckles revealing long sharp black nails, on her legs were mid thigh length black boots with dark grey fur around the top of them, a black colored whip was wrapped loosely around her waist like a belt or tail, and finally on her left brown thigh was a medium sized black tattoo of a paw print.

Mad Stan says, "What's this? Are you one of these fool's servant of ignorance? Do you protect them and the ways of this corrupt city like Batman here?"

The strange girl says in a voice that Batman finds all too familiar, "No to the first question, yes to the second."

Bruce asks with a grimace, "Who are you?"

The mysterious female places a hand on her hip and answers with a seductive purr, "Call me Saber – Gotham's new Catwoman." Bruce grits his teeth. How dare she compare herself to the real Catwoman Selina Kyle? She then addresses Mad Stan and offers, "I suggest you stop this now. I don't want to have to put you out."

Mad Stan laughs and lunges for the girl, but she leaps up in the air and dodges to the right. She turns briefly to slice off his jacket and runs for the wall. Her nails dig into the wall and at the right moment she flips off of it and lands on Stan's shoulders, her legs squeezing around his neck. Mad Stan runs around bucking in attempt to get her off. With a sudden thrust he manages to shoot her off only for her to land unscathed on her feet. She spies a table beside her and picks it up, aiming it directly for the crazed bomb man. Mad Stan covers his arms across his face in an "X" position and runs directly through the table, smashing it into smithereens. Through the fluttering debris he manages to get close enough to Saber to get his fingers around her neck. He squeezes and she squirms, letting an intimidating hiss escape through her teeth. She raises her claw and with a growl slices him across the face. Mad Stan releases as he yells out in surprise. Saber crouches on all fours and stalks around him in a circle before running for him and crashing hands first into his stomach. Mad Stan, growing all the more frustrated grabs a grenade and tosses it straight for Saber as she leaps back from his arms. To stay too close to his powerful arms was a deadly risk. The bomb lands near Batman and Bruce. Saber runs towards them with great force and pushes them out of the way as the grenade blows. She lands on top of Batman and leans down at his face. She says sexily, "You alright there cutie?"

Batman grabs her arm and demands, "Max?"

Saber seems confused and offended. "Max? Do I look like a boy to you?"

This takes Batman off guard since her anger appeared to be sincere. Yet her voice and even body shape was so familiar. He knew Max's body better than anyone else. "Uh-, you – I mean Max – is a girl."

She caresses his face with the tips of her nails and asks, "Is she your girlfriend? Is she pretty?"

Batman says hotly, "No more talk."

"Right," she adds with a seductive smirk, "I've got your job to do." Without another word she back flips off his stomach and pulls her whip off of her hips. Mad Stan snorts through his nose and charges once again. Saber flashes her arm, causing the whip to fling in the air and finally strike the military dressed assailant, giving him a nasty open cut on his cheek. Saber purrs and moves her shoulders back and forth. Stan takes a chair and tosses it for her, but with another crack of the whip the chair is sliced in two. Mad Stan gives a roar of pure anger and his veins are noticeably visible on his forehead. Over and over again Saber strikes him down with the whip, dancing around him as if corralling him to a certain spot in the room. When she appears to have him at the right spot the strange woman scales the nearest wall. Mad Stan yells that she had better run and begins to throw multiple grenades after her. Finally reaching the top of the ceiling, Saber makes a leap for the chandelier and grabs hold of the metallic bar keeping it in contact with the wire hanging from the center of the ceiling with one hand and a leg raised up against the bar. She looks down and uses her free hand to slice through the cord. The gigantic chandelier plummets from the air with great speed. Within a few minutes and after a brief scream it crashes into the floor, Mad Stan crushed by the edges of the gigantic light fixture but alive, and Saber still clinging on the bar. With a salute to the gathered crowd she hops of the decorative piece, wraps the whip around her waist in a speedy blur and runs for the back door since the detonator had been crushed along with Stan. Batman gives Bruce a cautious look before also taking off, spreading his wings and flying through a shattered window.

"Uh, Max? Looks like you've got yourself a visitor," Dana chuckles before taking a bite of her French fries. Max looks up from her bacon cheeseburger and turns her attention in the direction of Dana's pointed finger. Sure enough, there was something there. Max shakes her head and calls, "C'mere Ace! Good boy!" Ace runs from his spot on the sidewalk to Max's lunch table outside. Max rubs his head and says sweetly, "Daddy's going to mad at you Ace."

Chelsea crosses her legs and asks slyly, "And just who's 'Daddy'? Wayne? Or McGinnis?"

"You're so primal, Chels. You know that?" Max says with a roll of her eyes. She takes the bun off her burger, grabs the three slabs of bacon and gives them to Ace who eats the treat wholeheartedly. She kisses the Great Dane on the top of his head and chuckles to herself. She was so glad that Terry didn't come to school today. A few weeks had come and went since the whole Mad Stan incident and he was too busy in trying to find out the real identity of Saber. Naturally he confronted Gibson on the way home from the ball demanding where she had run off to. Max's excuse was pretty legitimate: when she saw Stan she rushed outside to find back-up. Of course the officers were unable to be of any assistance thanks the military maniac so she grabbed their radio links and called for help. Due to her superior electronic and computer skills she quickly realized that all doors leading into the building were set with bombs and that they had all been activated. She couldn't get back into the building and stayed outside until she was sure the bombs had been deactivated. Bruce was a little cautious with the story but believed it nonetheless. Terry however was a different story. He was positive that Max was Saber; the only proof that didn't register was the tattoo. Max had never been inked in her life and this new heroine had a pretty outstanding mark on the thigh. Bruce did his best to try to make McGinnis believe that Max hadn't disobeyed them…but they would soon find out the truth.

"I got an idea," Terry says to Bruce in the cave, pulling the cowl over his face and adjusting his arms.

Bruce turns slowly around in the chair from the computer and interlocks his fingers together, gazing at his apprentice with an interest. "I'm listening."

"I know how we can find out who she really is: sniff her out."

"Beg your pardon?"

Terry tosses his thumb in the direction of the dog and states, "The mutt can smell anything. I say we use that to find out who this Saber character really is. If she's the modern Catwoman that can't be good right? I mean you said that Selina Kyle was a pretty shway chick, she just used illegal means to get what she wanted. The way this Saber moves can make her a real threat. I need to find out just exactly what it is she wants."

Bruce ponders to himself on the matter. It was true: they needed to find out if Saber was really on their side or not. She could be a formidable foe for Batman should the girl decide to do things illegally. "Alright. But just how do you suppose to find her?"

Terry smirks and pulls out a Bataraang. "She's been out there fighting too. And the last time we ran into each other, she put her scent all over this." Before he can say anything else however, Max comes bounding down the steps. "Hey Max," he says coolly as she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey," she responds back with a grin. "I'm heading out."

Bruce turns back to the screen and says, "So soon?"

"Yeah," Max answers, sitting on top of the table where she had once been lying dying. "There's going to be a major test tomorrow and Chelsea needs help studying. The girl's already on the verge of having to repeat a year. If she fails this test she's done for."

Terry chuckles, "Strike while the iron's hot!"

Max shoots him a grin. "Got that right," she agrees in a tone that suggested something completely different. Terry notices this and stares at her real hard, as if trying to see what she really meant. Max tears away from his gaze and continues nervously, "Anyways," she states as she leaps off the table and lands gracefully next to Ace and rubbing his head before standing back up, "if you need me, just call." Max kisses Bruce on the forehead and then wraps her arms lovingly around Terry's waist. "I'll catch you later baby." Without another word she trots back up the stairs, her hips dancing on every step.

Terry narrows his eyes and walks towards the Batcar with Ace trailing him, "Yeah. Catch you later."

Two hours pass without a trace of Saber anywhere. Batman rides through the air of Gotham, searching every alleyway, listening in to every police call but he finds nothing. It made no sense how she just popped up on the radar like she had. And the fact that it was unknown her intentions had the vigilante reeling with suspicions. Then again, maybe Terry just wasn't very appreciative of the thought of someone else doing his job for him out there. Pretty selfish it was true, but there was just something about Saber that made the Batman uneasy: like she wasn't supposed to be doing this job for a particular reason. Naturally the thought of his girlfriend constantly flashes in his mind. He couldn't be sure that she was the one…and he didn't want her to be. Maybe he was just imagining it all? But before he can further contemplate Ace lets out a bark and Batman lowers the car. He opens the roof and the Dane immediately leaps out, sniffing the dirt and finally lifting his head up to the roof of a thirty story building. Batman looks up as well and suddenly pulls out another piece of something and holds it to the dog's nose. Ace inhales sharply and sniffs on the ground again; only to take his head back up as if both objects he was tracking out were up there. Batman narrows his eyes angrily and rubs the canine's head. "Good boy. Back in the car." Obediently his order is followed. With a press of the button the roof closes and Batman turns on his jet boots, flying fast up the building side. When he lands on the concrete he spies Saber sitting on the edge looking at the night city. "Enjoying the view, Max?"

The neo-catwoman whirls and stands from the edge placing a hand on her hip. "Haven't we been through this Batman? I'm not—"

"DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME! I KNOW IT'S YOU!" Batman yells angrily. "I had Ace sniff you out."

Saber's face goes from confusion to emotionless. She bites her lip and shifts her gaze to the ground. "Ok, I'll bite. You've figured it out…" She reaches her hand to the base of the cowl under her chin and pulls it back over her head revealing Max's face.

Batman grits his teeth and demands, "Just what the hell are you doing?"

Max pivots her body to the side and turns her gaze back over to the city. "I'm protecting my home," she answers in a whisper.

Terry throws his hands up towards the sky and screams harshly, "That's not your job!"

"Why?" Max asks with her eyes closed. She pauses for a moment and asks with a paining sound in her voice, "What's _he_ saying?"

Terry folds his arms across his broad chest. "You don't want to know." Max places the palm of her hand to her forehead and sniffs. The last thing she wanted to do was anger Bruce. She knew how much he was against her becoming a hero, but… "We're going home," Batman says, turning in the direction of the car.

Max looks at him with appalled eyes. "No," she defies softly.

Batman wheels back around and storms to her, taking a firm hold on her arm and shaking her violently. "Damnit Max! We're going home. Your days as Saber are done!" He begins to drag her away.

But something builds inside of her: anger or betrayal, she was not sure which; but whatever it was it was telling her to resist! To fight back! For too long she had worked and slaved to accomplish what she had and no man or Bat would stop her. Max lets out an angry hiss and yanks herself out of her love's arms, jumping back from him a few feet. She points an accusing finger at him and yells as a roll of thunder booms across the sky, "Why? Why are you so _threatened_ by what I'm doing?"

"You know good and well why! This is too dangerous for you."

"So much for having faith in me. This makes no sense and you know it."

"It makes all the sense in the world. I'm trying to protect you and you just keep resisting."

Max balls her fist and flails it in the air as if hitting somebody from the side and states with pure anger, "I DON'T NEED YOUR PROTECTION!"

Batman looks at Max with compassionate eyes. "Max—". But she stares right back at him with complete frustration and disobedience. He wouldn't be able to make her stop what she was doing – not willingly. Max was Saber; Saber was Max – they were one and the same. He desired for his love to be finished with this nonsense so she could stay alive and well. When she was gone for those few weeks Terry was beside himself with worry. And when she had been dying, dying from trying to keep the ones she loved safe, he felt powerless. There was no worse feeling than not knowing what to do. If Max went out as Saber there was a chance that she would never come back – that somebody would kill her. He had to stop this.

"No, Terry," Max had responded. She turned to leave from the roof when something whizzes past her head. Her eyes recognize a Bataraang falling over the side. Max turns back towards Batman slowly, unsure and full of doubt and what she believed he had just done. She receives her confirmation when Batman has yet another Bataraang in his hand, standing ready for whatever should follow next. He was going to attack her? Just to stop Max from continuing her life of vigilantism? Yes, his expression seemed to answer. The brown beauty is astonished at first though she doesn't know why. This day had been coming, they both knew it. Just as fate destined for them to come together as lovers, so it did this. Terry and Max were meant to be together, yet the difference of opinion and the lives that the two had lived were conflicting with destiny. Until they became one on this matter, the relationship would never work…and they weren't one. This had always been the reason for the arguments and anger even before they fell in love. It was a pity that what had simply started out as a disagreement had turned into an altercation of this sort. The raindrops begin to fall steadily from the sky, dancing on the roof and their bodies. All confusion melts away from Max's face and she pulls the cowl back over her face. The whip falls from her hip, splashing into the water puddles as Saber squeezes the handle tight. "Don't do this," she says softly. She could only hope that her father was agreeing.

Batman responds in a sound that revealed his battling desire to leave it be or fight, "You leave me know choice."

A tense silence fills the roof, and Max's ears become aware of Ace whining somewhere below. The dog could sense that his masters were at conflict, and it pained him to realize such a thing. Terry squeezes the Bataraang tighter and Max flexes her fingers, the mindset of self-preservation boiling inside, the panther in her blood growling and scratching to be released. A flash of lightning dances across the sky and as if by signal they run for one another. When they reach a well enough distance, Batman leaps into the air with one leg drawn in and the other extended out full length so it could slam right into Max. Close enough now to touch Batman's leg should her arm be outstretched, Saber has her left hand upraised, her claws ready to dig into the suit, and her right arm extended back slightly with the whip ready to crack and strike Batman, a growl ripping through her throat. The thunder rolls as Bruce yells for McGinnis to stop, and Ace lets out a heartbreaking howl from below…

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**_Note from Author: _**_I read this chapter to a close friend and he said that this should've been the last chapter to this fanfic and the last sentence here be the final conclusion. I'm sure it would've made an interesting end BUT I decided not to do that cuz: **1.** It might have disappointed my readers and then I woulod be disappointed. **2.** I mean DAMN! I went through too much hell to try to create ways to bring Terry &Max together to have them become archenemies! **3.** I would've been thinking back like, "What if?" and might have had to write a new fanfic continuing this story (which might not have been TOO bad, but still...) So I'm glad I decided to continue! Now, I'm not one to beg for reviews but I'd be happy and thankful! lol ^/o/^_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey everybody: RyokoMist here. I apologize for the delay, but as I told u all before, the writer's block was hitting me like crazy. Anyways, after this past month I was getting pissed at myself for not being able to write and just decided, "What the hell?" So I did my best to write through my block. Truth be told, this is probably one of my least favorite chapters since I was writing around my block. I couldnt really think of what to type, sooooooooooooo.. anyways let me know wat u guys think please: and also check out my newest Justice League fanfiction. It's a one-shot (one chapter only, so it's complete) and it's called: Ace's Dark Knight - telling the story of what i think happened between Batman and Ace while he stayed by her side until she died (please review it as well) Thankies, RyokoMist_

So it had finally come to this: a fight between star-crossed lovers. For so long they loved each other; cherished the moments that flowed between them; were filled with the joy of having found one another. Max and Terry were in love…but love couldn't do anything to prevent this. It angered Max to know that rather than be happy for her, Terry wanted to stop her from wanting to help. He understood her reasons but still refused her freedom! Ever since he wore the suit McGinnis thought that he had power over every person in Gotham. Saber grits her teeth and lunges to the left, barely being skimmed by Batman's boot. With a twist of her body, the feline spliced female turns around with her leg upraised, and strikes Batman square in the face before he can regroup and regain his stamina. The Dark Knight tumbles to the ground, sliding across the slick roof.

He looks up from the ground and wipes a strand of pouring blood from his chin and bottom lip with the back of his hand, furrowing his brow angrily. Saber stands up straight and cracks her whip. Batman calls from across the roof, "You're not holding back, are you?"

Saber tilts her head to the side and questions sarcastically, "Why should I? You've never held back on me. You've always thought you could just tell me what to do. I'm not taking your shit anymore Batsy. There are some things I'm gonna get off my chest tonight!"

Batman stands up straight and declares, "You're going to ruin everything, Max!"

"The name's Saber!" She runs for him, closing the distance rapidly. While approaching, Batman takes a swing for her with his fist but she drops on all fours. In that instant Batman lifts his leg and kicks the female vigilante square in the jaw. She slides back, still on all fours and places a hand to her face. Blood stained her glove, and Saber shoots the Bat an angry stare, hissing with pure hatred. Batman motions with his fingers for her to come and Max obliges this notion, running on all fours towards him. Terry braces himself for impact as Max leaps from the ground and lands upon his chest heavily. They tumble to the ground and Batman falls flat on his back. He loses his focus for just a moment, but regains it back quickly in time to grab Saber's arms and spread them apart just as she leans her head in for his throat. Batman strains against her strength, gritting his jaws, trying to prevent her from making contact.

Saber snaps her teeth at him over and over again, edging ever the closer to his throat. The sound of his heart beating and blood flowing through his veins makes her mouth water, causing her animal instincts to take over. She was so close to the kill; just a little closer…

Sensing her change in countenance, Batman raises his legs underneath her stomach and launches his love off of him, her body flipping in the air. But she was a feline, and cats always landed on their feet. Batman jumps up and stands ready, looking at Saber crouched down on all fours, pacing back and forth in front of him, a growl rumbling eagerly in her chest. Batman frowns and says, "Stop this! This is stupid; we're supposed to be together!"

"Exactly," Saber hisses in return. "You're supposed to support me and all my decisions."

"I'm not going to support behavior that'll get you killed!"

"Oh, and I'm supposed to? Listen to yourself! Every day you go and nearly die: have I ever complained?" Max slams her fist against her chest. "Have I ever told you to stop? I'm scared every night I'll hear that Batman – that you – is dead! Do you know what that's like? Do you have any clue to feel weak?" She stands up and cracks her whip, the rope tying tight around Batman's neck. He gasps for air, clutching the rope and struggling against the clamp. Saber yanks against the rope, tightening its hold around Batman's neck and pulling him closer to her. "You've used me!"

"No," Batman strains.

"Yes you have!" Saber disputes hotly. "While you were out fighting the bad guys, while you were enjoying your family, while you were screwing Dana; I was curled up in bed, lonely and crying myself at night: hoping you would come or call and ask for my help…and when you didn't I was…"she stops, slamming her eyes closed. They were starting to burn and Saber clenched her fist so tight that her claws sliced into the hand, blood dripping from it. But she doesn't notice this pain, only the anger at Terry. "I'm…useless…" Saber slacks her hold on the whip and it drops from Batman's neck. Seeing an opportunity, Batman lunges for Saber and grabs the girl's shirtfront, pulling his fist back in preparation to strike. But his eyes open wide in disbelief: Saber was limp in his arms, not even showing signs of resistance.

Her watery eyes peer deep into his and she whispers, "Do it…finish off Saber. Show which of us is the real animal."

Batman pauses. And then his brows curve upward in grief. What was going on here? They were fighting to what seemed like the death…these two lovers. He was about to hurt his one true love, the girl he was willing to die for; and what's worse: she thought he _wanted_ to hurt her. The pink haired teen had experienced nothing but hurt and betrayal all her life, and it appalled McGinnis that she had let those feelings travel over into their relationship. Every day she beat herself up for loving him, and every day Max awaited the moment when Terry would turn against her: if her own family could do it, why couldn't he? To Max, deep down inside, she believed "love" was just another word; just another sign of weakness...and he did nothing but start to confirm this belief. Gibson was willing to allow Terry hurt her…because she thought that he would do it in the end. Batman shakes his head, feeling sick to his stomach. Even in everything that Maxine had confessed to him about her life it was still never enough: there were always things that she had left out, always something more terrible that he eventually discovered on his own. He realizes that no matter what Max told him about her life and struggles, that the young Caped Crusader would _never_ fully understand and know her…that's the way Max wanted it.

And now, the expression she gave him was enough to make him lose his own mind. She expected for him to hit her…but he couldn't do that. "Max," Batman begins weakly, "I can't-"

But his sentence is immediately cut off by a set of bright lights that shoot upon them. The two vigilante's look up at the sight of three police vehicles floating in the air above them. Commissioner Barbara Gordon's voice resonates over the speakers: "Batman, Saber, this is Commissioner Gordon. Stop what you are doing immediately, this is an order." From inside the lead vehicle, Barbara looks down at them with sorrow. She could grasp that it was Saber who was hurt the most from this battle. She knew all too well the power and suppression that Batman had over others; and she could understand the need to stop and fight back against Batman's controlling attitude. The Commissioner and Robin found this to be a constant struggle with Batman back in the day, and it was, in truth, one of the main reasons that the group had to split up: they just couldn't take anymore.

Saber frowns angrily and breaks free from Batman's hold. With a bounding leap the panther spliced teen runs to the edge of the building. She turns back to face Batman with a pained expression, and then flips over the edge of the building. At first fear floods Terry, afraid that she had tried to commit suicide. But as he rushes and looks over the side, he manages to catch a glimpse of Saber landing in the alley on all fours, opening the Batmobile's roof letting Ace out, and both of them disappearing into the darkness. Batman heaves his shoulders wearily and turns his attention back to the police. He knew that Bruce had called Gordon so she could try to stop their fight before he or Saber could seriously injure one another. He was grateful for that. Batman reaches down to his belt, initializes his invisibility and vanishes from the sight of the officers and Commissioner and goes, undetected, to the Batmobile; heading off into the city to complete his job: protecting Gotham.

*****With one leap, a dark figure leaps over the wall into the property of Wayne Manor. A smaller black figure also manages to make it over right after. Her night vision eyes become aware of the surroundings, listening carefully for something in particular before jetting towards the house. She arrives to the outside front window and peeks inside, seeing Bruce sitting in a big chair looking into the flames of the fireplace. Thinking she's unnoticed the form begins to slink away when the retired hero opens his mouth and says in a volume that he knows she will hear all too well, "Use the front door Max."

Max pauses in shock at first, and then lets out a heavy sigh. She didn't know why it surprised her that Bruce knew she was there: he was the king of this kind of thing. Gibson heaves her shoulders and comes in the front door, Ace trailing behind her happily. The teen peers her head around the doorway into the living room and spies Wayne staring directly at her with his fingers laced together under the old man's chin. She lowers her eyes and steps completely in the archway and looks to the right at the huge fire blazing. Silence flows between them at first, nothing but the sound of Ace's light panting filling the air. "So this is the elusive Saber," Bruce says slowly.

Saber responds coldly, "Yeah. This is her."

Wayne frowns hard and declares, "What have you done?"

"Not you too, Bruce," Max whines out wearily. She was growing tired of this same routine.

Bruce clenches his fist and Ace's ears begin to fall back, sensing the building agitation in the room. "Damn it, Max! I told you not to do this!"

Saber rips the cowl off of her face and Max eyes her guardian angrily, slamming her fist into her chest. "What about me Bruce? Why is it always what you and Terry want?"

A voice resounds from behind the young female vigilante, making the girl jump with a start and whip around to find Batman standing behind her. Terry takes off his mask as he answers, "Because we want what's best for you."

"You're wrong!" Max yells angrily. "You want what's best for _you_! It's never been about me, has it? You just want to have the title of hero all to yourself. That's the most selfish thing-"

"You don't know what you're talking about," Terry interrupts hotly.

"And you don't know a damned thing about me! You NEVER will!"

Bruce states compassionately, "Then help us, Max. Let us in."

She shakes her head violently, "No. No one can know…no one."

"Max," Terry says reaching a hand out for her, "we just want to help. We want you to be safe."

"No."

"Dammit!" Terry exclaims with building frustration, "You can't keep doing this!" He reaches his hand out once again for her, but Max's eyes don't see Terry. They see the face of everybody that had ever hurt her. All of their cold faces, their cold hands, their stinging hands. She flinches back away from him with a scream, demanding for McGinnis to leave her alone. This throws the boy and old man for a loop, confused as to where this sudden fear and anxiety had come from. Terry narrows his eyes in concern and grabs the panther blooded teen's arm. But she reacts, swinging her claws and slicing him on the side of his neck. Terry gives a hiss of pain and Maxine comes back to her senses. She sees the blood oozing from his neck and feels her heart drop.

"Ter—I-…I'm so…sorry. I didn't…"her voice catches in her throat and Max's body grows limp. She was hurting him, both of them. Max was throwing her frustrations on Terry and Bruce and it wasn't fair. She was losing her mind, and what scared her the most was the fact that she could never go back to normal. Inside, her animal DNA and human DNA were in a battle and within this the teen was starting to lose sight of who she really was.

She had no innocence; no life, no dreams. And it seemed like the more she cared for and loved the people around her, the more turmoil and anguish she was inflicted with. This was why the girl had tried for so long to stay locked up within her body; to shut off anyone from seeing the real her or growing close enough to hurt Max ever again. Gibson had no family; the ones who should've cared for her the most were the ones that set her up for her current state of mind. It was their entire fault. Because of them it was impossible know or attempt to know what it meant to love or be loved. She felt bad for having led Terry on so far, and to have become so weak. Max looks up at their confused expressions and whispers, "I can't do this anymore. I can't keep living this lie."

Terry takes a deep gasp. What was she saying? That she wanted to leave? "Max," he starts with a worried smile, "You can make it through this; whatever is hurting you…"The idea of losing Max was more than the young Dark Knight could bear. He adds with a sincere tone, his eyes showing that he meant every word, "We love you."

Maxine narrows her brows and angrily growls out with full volume, feeling frustrated that he would dare use that word; the word that caused her the most suffering, "WHY SHOULD I CARE? You weren't around when I was scared and when I was alone and hurting. Don't you dare try to act like you mean it."

A tense silence fills the air. Bruce and Terry appear baffled at her words, or more so at the seriousness of how she seemed to _mean_ them. Bruce gives McGinnis a look and turns away back to the fire. Ace whimpers out, his tail going between his legs as he backs away out into the hall. Max turns and storms out of the room, heading down the hall to her quarters. Terry stands there in silence at first, but then his face grows angry and he turns on his heels, following after his mentally tormented girlfriend quickly as she slams the bedroom door. Max leans against the door and covers her mouth so no one would her crying. But before she can lose herself in sadness a fierce bang hits the door, causing the spliced teen to fly off the door and fall on the floor. She turns her head as another bang follows causing the door to burst open. Terry stands there with his fist balled, huffing his breath angrily. He steps inside the room, reaches an arm back, and shuts the door behind him with excessive force, turning the lock. Max's eyes open wide in horror: the memories of her father beating the girl immediately flood in her brain…he was going to hurt her. "Terry…" her voice whispers out weakly.

But the young Batman ignores this and grabs Max by the arms. He lifts her up in the air and slams her upraised body against the wall. Both of his strong hands grip tight to her wrist as he holds them up above her head. He looks at this girl, the one who was supposed to be madly in love with, in her eyes with pure anger – and Max can only stare back in complete fear. Her legs tighten around his waist and she winces at the force of his hold. So it had finally come to this…he was just like the others…Max struggles to find her voice: to call for Bruce or Ace to rescue her; but there is nothing, no sound. Eventually she gives up and waits for Terry to do his worst. That was all that she could do; despite the fact that the girl could fight back at any moment, she doesn't. The moments pass slowly, the rain patters against the window heavily as if there was a battle going on outside. "Why, Max?" a hoarse voice growls.

The brown skinned beauty's eyes open wide in shock and she looks down at Terry's lowered face, his expression invisible to her eyes. He growls out, "Why won't you fight? Why don't you try to resist me?" In a flash he lifts his face to stares at her, his countenance a mixture of pain and anger. "Do you really think I would hurt you? Have you been that messed up you _want_ me to hurt you?" Terry's eyes water and his face lowers once again, his hold starting to slacken.

Max lifts her head up to the ceiling, tears overflowing her lids with a vengeance. "Yes," she whispers. "You would hurt me…"

Terry takes a gasp and shakes his head. "I don't give a damn what you've been through…but I would rather die than cause you pain. I love you Max. And you can think otherwise all the fuck you want – but I do, and I'll make you see that." He had always told her before that he loved her, but this time there was something in it that made Max's heart melt. He made it sound like her life was his love…that she was all he needed in the world. Never had Maxine heard anyone say something to her so meaningful. It is in that instant, that all doubts she ever had seem to melt away. Nothing else mattered in this world. Not as long as she had him…she would never be alone.

"Terry?" she whispers.

"Yeah."

"I love you…" Terry turns his attention back to Max and sees her compassionate stare. "You'll help me through this?" she asks him.

McGinnis nods his head. "And if being Saber is the first step to your happiness then fine. Just as long as I have you. But you have to promise to stay alive. If you die, I'll follow you right after."

Max leans her head down to Terry and gently kisses his lips. She pulls back and whispers in his ear, "I promise." She kisses him again and Terry releases her wrists, allowing Max to tangle her fingers into his black hair. The kiss is smooth at first, and then burns with a new fire. Terry squeezes her body tight to his own and lays her on the floor. His hands trace her body lightly and Max sighs out, crushing his lips to hers. Within moments their clothes are discarded and a light sheet from the bed lies loosely on their bodies. Max ties her arms around Terry's neck and clutches her nails deep into his skin. But McGinnis notices the pain. She could slice him and dice him all she wanted, if that is what her made her happy. Max pulls his neck down to her lips, and her tongue licks the flesh there before biting. She releases her bite and kisses him once again. Terry laughs, remembering the vampire joke they had made some time ago. But his laughter dies away as the final ecstasy begins to build. Within moments they hold on to one another tightly before collapsing into each other's embrace.

For a while they lie there in each other's arms in silence, listening to the beautifully rhythmic patting of the rain outside, Terry cups Max's face in his hand, wiping the quiet tears from her face. "Don't cry."

"But I'm happy."

Terry pauses, unsure what to say to that. But then he smiles and kisses her cheek gently. "Then cry all you want – I'll always be here to wipe the tears away." Max cries even harder and buries her face into Terry's chest. McGinnis smiles with a softer expression of compassion and love as he places his hand in her hair. This was true love, this was happiness. He breathes in deep, inhaling the freedom. Finally they could live the life that was meant for them: they could be happy and in love.

Bruce, still sitting in the living room chair smiles and reaches on the table for the telephone. He dials a number and waits for it to ring. After the fifth ring a groggy voice answers and Bruce asks, "Is this Martin Laurent?...Hello, this is Mr. Bruce Wayne, your client. I hope I haven't reached you at a bad time…Yes, I would like to renew my will if possible…Why? Because I've found something very important." He pets Ace's head and adds, "Very important indeed."

_TO BE CONTINUED…_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi everybody. Sorry it took so long for this to get up, but ya know as is life. Anyways those of u who joined my facebook group "RyokoMist: Fanfiction Author" already know that this is the final chapter to "The Hunted." But you also know that I have decided to make a sequel to this storyline! That's right, you will be seeing more from Saber and Batman. Give me at least a month guys for it to be put up (might even make a series to this story). Anyways, I made this kinda short and to the point becuz once i start losing ideas I know one of two things: either i've got writer's block, or its time to end the story...and that is wat happened here. So here ya go:_

_**The Future**_

Time had passed fruitfully in Gotham. How could it not with two heroes watching over the city. Yes. Two heroes. Batman and Saber fought crime together beautifully, flowing with ease from the strength of the unison that they now had. And now they were about to step out into a new frontier.

**Max leaves out of her class at the end of the school day…the end of her high school career. She inhales smoothly in relaxation before heading towards the main entrance on her own. Terry was not here today. He was "busy" with work that carried over from last night. And even though she felt sad to be alone she was still an independent woman who could handle her own wherever she was. Max had become comfortable with herself – due to the fact she had come to the realization that no matter what obstacles came her way, she would NEVER be alone. As the girl exits out the doors she lets out a sigh, however, of agitation at the stretch limousine before her. Why was the old man doing this to her? Ignoring the whispers and stares of the Hill High students Max jogs down the front steps with a grace that only the Black Panther DNA could give her and waits impatiently for the door to open. When this finally occurs the brown skinned lovely slides into the backseat besides the figure of the old billionaire with an exasperated sigh and her palm finding rest on her shaking head. "Daddy-," she begins with a drawn out murmur.

"Don't even go there," Bruce says nonchalantly.

"You know how much I hate the attention."

Bruce smirks and turns his gaze towards Max. "Must take after your old man," he muses.

Despite attempts Max's lips betray a grin. "I'm starting to think you're doing this just to piss me off."

"More like piss off Terry. He hates to see you put in situations like this."

Max rolls her eyes as the limo pulls off the school premises and hops on the highway. "It's his own fault. If your son would handle Wayne Powers business like he should I wouldn't be out in the spotlight so much." She grins in remembrance of when Terry found out that Bruce was his father biologically. What a twip he was! But he and Bruce had taken the news quite well, despite the slight awkwardness at times. Yet the truth did nothing but connect things together – why both men were so stubborn, ridiculously cocky, overprotective…and the true devotion that they placed in the life of being Batman. Max shakes her head and chuckles: like father, like son.

She briefly examines the interior of the limo and reflects also back on the next morning after she and Terry "made-up" to find Bruce's surprise. His lawyer was there in the manor…with the will. She raises her eyebrows, still not completely believing that Wayne, the most powerful man in Gotham, had signed over everything – the manor, cars, head seat over Wayne Powers Corp. (much to the dismay of Paxton)…even Ace – to Terry and Max. For the past few months Ms. Wayne had been balancing school, crime fighting, and learning Bruce's business with little cooperation from Terry, who, also like his father, did not enjoy the glamour of being in the spotlight for business. Quite frankly, neither did she: but at least she sucked it up! Max didn't have any other life besides the one she was currently living. She had to deal with it – good and bad. And Terry would laugh at her when Max got home from Wayne Powers due to the fact that she _hated_ Paxton. To him, her fury at the dirty-handed young man was beyond entertaining.

But as the limo pulls off the highway and begins taking the private road that lead to Wayne Manor, Max forgets all her frustrations. None of that mattered, it really in truth, didn't even bother her. She had freedom, she had love, she had a family…Max had all the things that she thought were never obtainable for somebody like her; somebody who had been through so much pain and suffering to the point that the spliced teen began to feel like she didn't _deserve_ to be happy. Her gaze breaks through the trees and she places a hand absentmindedly on Bruce's. The old man faces her and smiles, knowing she was happy – and so was he.

**That weekend the crowds gather around within the gymnasium, calling out the names of their children who sat on the main floor wearing their caps with pride. Graduation Day: the day when the end only lead to the beginning. Max tenses her fingers as a low growl rumbles in her throat. Terry chuckles as he holds her hand, drowning out the sound of his mother screaming his name like a mad woman, and asks, "Still mad about the guards?"

Max huffs with a smirk and responds, "Hardly." Why Bruce had police officers guide she and Terry to their seats, she would never know. They were the last kids in the very last row! Hello? Maxine Gibson-Wayne? Terrence McGinnis-Wayne? Everyone knew who they were! It's not like there would be any trouble on the way to their seats! But she giggles at the remembrance of the officers expressions when she hissed for them to back the hell off! Priceless.

"Well what is it? Somebody here you don't like…other than me?"

Max leans and gives Terry a peck on the check as the Principal begins his speech. "Oh I love you. But there are a few faces here that have me on edge…Paxton – who knows why the hell he brought his ass here…twip. And my…old family."

Terry's eyes narrow in pure disbelief. What were they doing here? Not too long ago they were more than willing to say good-bye to Max. "You're kidding."

"Guess they think if they apologize I'll help them out. The name 'Wayne' can really bring up the trash." She pauses. "But I'm not mad. I'm nervous – scared really. Once we walk across that stage, life as we know it will change."

Terry gives his one true love a long stare. She was scared – he could see this clearly. If once good thing came from being with Max it was the fact that he could understand her so much better. The slightest tilt of her head or tone in voice could give the young Batman a better indication of what she was feeling. There still might have been some things that needed to be worked on in the relationship, but none of that was of any importance. "Listen babe," McGinnis states seriously with his blue eyes peering deep into Max's golden ones, "nothing will be any different."

"Ter-."

He places his fingers over her lips, cutting Max's dispute abruptly off. "It won't change because nothing else matters, not while I have you by my side." She can't dispute; not because she didn't know how to come back to her boyfriend's comment, but because she knew he was right.

Up in the seats Bruce sits watching the students begin to file across the stage. Barbara folds her arms across her chest and chides, "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into Bruce."

"Don't I always?" the old man coaxes.

"Most of the time," Gordon agrees with a gentle grin. "But you do realize how interesting things will be for those two now? The company, saving the city…"

"I handled it pretty well back in the day didn't I?"

"Most of the time," Barbara repeats, clapping as Terry and Max's row approaches the stage.

Bruce narrows his brows and rests his cane between his legs, both hands cupping firmly on the handle. "I don't have any worries, nor regrets…well, except losing you."

"Careful Bruce," Barbara jokes, feeling touched by his words nonetheless. "I'm happily married."

"In any event, my faith rests wholly in my kids. Their love for this city, and one another, is all the sign I need. When I leave this world, and I don't intend it to be soon, I can rest in peace leaving Gotham in the hands of Batman of Saber…in Terry and Max _Wayne_."

"I think that's the only name you'll trust."

"Barb-."

"Shut up and wave Bruce, your kids are up."

At the sight of his children – one by blood, the other by adoption and her unity with his son – crossing the stage receiving their diplomas Bruce stands. The feeling of pride that raced through him was simply dumbfounding. There may have been many ups and downs, many pains but they did it…they made it to the start of the future – a future that constantly looked brighter because both of them would be protecting and preserving it together.

***Two figures fly from roof to roof under the beautiful full moon. It was a quiet night so far and altogether peaceful. Saber lands on the edge of a building roof, crouched low on the concrete ledge. The whip dances from side to side along her waist like a tail as the feline heroine takes in the city view. Batman lands gracefully in the background, still appalled at the sensual beauty of his counterpart before approaching forward until he is standing directly behind his partner. Automatically, or more so naturally, his strong arms wrap themselves around the wide hips of Saber and pulls her back into his chest. Instinctively a gentle purr reverberates through the Panther's chest as she tilts her head back and rubs her face against Batman's chin. Lovers, friends, partners…there was nothing more that either of them could want.

Simply, Batman states with matter-of-faction, "I love you."

Saber smiles. "I love you more."

"That's not humanly possible."

She giggles softly as she sasses, "Well in case you haven't noticed yet: _I'm not human_."

"Still ain't possible."

"You really wanna have this debate?"

"I want you to kiss me."

"Shway," Saber purrs. Their coated lips connect and never more have Terry and Max been sure that they were prepared for the future…as long as it was with one another…forever and ever.

_THE BEGINNING…_

_note from author: Well there you go, the end to "The Hunted" but the beginning to the next tale. lol. Anyways, thank you everybody for being so supportive and waiting for me, I really appreciate it! So pretty please review this story, even if u do it anymously (sp?) lol. the more reviews, teh greater the chance I'll continue this in a series. So, yeah please review, and feel free to check out my current BB, Terry/ Max fic: Queen Kobra. and yes, chances are what you think it's about, is indeed wat it's about! ha! also, I gots an Inuyasha and...aw hell, ya'll know how to go to my profile and find my stories lol. _


End file.
